Third Day in New Orleans
I spent Wednesday morning at the Porch Project. The Porch Project is located at 1653 North Robinson in the Lower 7th Ward. I was there with a few classmates and we spent the entire morning clearing out a community garden in the rain. It was so amazing to finally get my hands dirty after spending a day teaching in the media lab. Even in the rain, it felt good to be doing something with so many other volunteers from all parts of the US. We helped build a small community garden, which the organizers are hoping will be used to not only grow produce, but also to provide the community with an alternative income source.
I then went back to Xavier University, in my muddy shoes, to teach my Video Editing Class with Paris from 1:00 to 2:40. After the class, I went with Caleb, Megan and Cat to the Nena Community Center, which is located in the Lower 9th Ward. There I had the pleasure of meeting with Linda Jackson, the volunteer Coordinator, as well as Dr. Robinson of the Stern School who was helping the organization research grant applications. I introduced Dr. Robinson to everyone, and I look forward to having him come to Xavier University to not only see what we are doing, but also find out if there can be any cross-collaboration between our team and his.
After the meeting, I, along with the rest of the NYU team, went to the Xavier University Center hall to attend a panel discussion about the Mardi Gras Indians. I had the chance to learn more about the history about the Mardi Gras Indians and even saw a few of them perform.
The most interesting part was when one man stood up and put everyone in check about the fact that they were not addressing one of the most critical issues facing them and the city: the fact that the displaced people are not coming back to New Orleans.
The man, whose name I was not able to find out, spoke from his heart about how it pains him to not see any children playing around his neighborhood anymore. He asked a question that so many were unable to answer: “Where are the black children of this city?”
The audience sat in silence as he told everyone that without these children to pass on the Mardi Gras tradition and culture, in a few years they, the Mardi Gras Indians, will be nothing more than a memory. I sat there in awe of this man who was able to call-out everyone on stage, and in the audience, for not addressing this critical issue that his city faces: where are all the displaced people who made this city what it is … with his words still stinging in everyone’s hearts, he walked out into the hallway and I followed him out.