I just returned from a trip to New Orleans, one of my favorite cities. While there I decided to visit the lower ninth ward and record what was going on there, six years after the massive flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina. It was shocking to see…many of the homes that were once there are just gone. In an average city block, there are a few homes left standing in disrepair, like the one I drew above, a few homes that have been either built from scratch or repaired from the hurricane damage, and many, many empty lots. You’ll see cement stoops leading to nothing, and the whole place is overgrown with weeds. As I drew this drawing, the sound of the birds singing was overwhelming. It seems like nature is taking over the ninth ward again. There are some foundations trying to help people re-build, and I went to see those as well, but there is still so much to do. I’ll be posting more of these drawings on my personal blog this week, if anyone is interested to see and read more of the story. Posted by Veronica.
Thanks for posting, Veronica, and thanks for visiting the Lower Ninth Ward. Progress is slow, but steady, and it’s important for people to realize that even now much remains to be done. Five and a half years after Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing levee breaches, the neighborhood’s population return is only 24% – almost 60% lower than the city average. This low-income African-American community, by chance or by design, will never be the same. But Americans need to realize this could happen anywhere, and they need to be aware of what recovery from a disaster looks like and the disparity between neighborhoods in the process. It’s an important lesson for us all to learn.
Best,
Laura