I came to New Orleans not knowing exactly what to expect and was met with a city struck by disaster in the middle of a dreadful circumstance. Katrina, as I have learned is still seen in these communities. To the rest of America, we seem to think of Katrina as something that happened, not as something that is happening, because it is. Each and every day her children are running these streets, reminding the people that she is still prevalent and that they are still in so much need. More than a failed government or gentrified city, I see a people with no where to go. Home is where the heart is but so many of their's were washed away, if not by storm winds then the days that followed. And if not by the days that followed, then the years that came and went and passed without change or a dime to spare. In all of that, I admire what keeps them going and what has gotten them this far. I can't even pretend to know what that is. I don't believe I have been here long enough to understand the hearts of the people or even scrape the surface. I'm sure every emotion possible towards this city lies inside of them and each one has every right to be felt. I just pray that they continue to rebuild, whatever that means for New Orleans. 

I, knock on the door, hope isn't home

Fate's not around the lucks all gone

Don't ask me what's wrong ask me what's right

And I'ma tell you what's life, and did you know?

I lost everything, but I ain't the only the one

First came the hurricane, then the morning sun

Excuse me if I'm on one

And don't trip if I light one, I walk a tight one

They try tell me keep my eyes open

My whole city underwater, some people still floatin'

....

And if you come from under that water then there's fresh air

Just breathe baby God's got a blessing to spare

Yes I know the process is so much stress

But it's the progress that feels the best

- "Tie My Hands", Lil Wayne 

Alexandria Bryant

Talking to People

Today we split into two groups for our last day of service in New Orleans. The first group finished painting the parts of Ms. Debra's porch that were not done earlier in the week. The second group was given the opportunity to do outreach in the community by handing out fliers and collecting signatures for a petition. The petition was about the need for another elementary school in the lower 9th ward. 

As we spoke to the members of the community about this petition, we also found ourselves talking about many other things. Listening to everyday citizens of New Orleans talk about the issues of income inequality, the state of education, misleading media coverage, and political corruption added a much needed perspective to conversations the group has been having all week amongst ourselves and with community organizations such as the Bayou District Foundation. It was a great way to end the service trip. 

Miguel Montoya

Here come the White Vans

When I think of an Alternative Break trip, many thoughts come to mind.  However, the first image that conjures in my head is one of white vans driving over Lake Pontrachain into New Orleans. Thousands of students from schools all across the United States spending their breaks on these trips. So my question to myself is what power do these white vans driving around the country, specifically to New Orleans have?

Alternative Breaks have a huge impact, positive or negative, on communities across the country. Break Away, a national organization committed to promoting quality Alternative Break programs in 2014 had "1,551 trips at 184 Chapter Schools with 21,221 students serving 1,993 Community Partners."  That totals over 1.3 million hours of service (http://www.alternativebreaks.org/2014annualreport/). I honestly question the effectiveness of these trips.  I used to live in Washington DC and you "felt" spring break season of charter buses of kids from schools across the country visiting the nations capital.  I wouldn't like to "feel" the arrival of hundreds of college students who believe they can fix or save my community through 4 days of service in a neighboring community garden.

However, I write this all to say that this trip has shown me the flip side of this argument.  I want to share 3 stories that allowed me to perceive this differently:

Our first day of service brought us to Deborah's house.  I instantly recognized the house, it was where we served last year.  While we chose the same partner, the chance of being placed at the same location was slim.  Deborah remembered me from the year before and we continued our project from the year before.  Today she directly invited us back.  While she has become part of my service journey, we have also become part of her life. We have the responsibility to honor this agreement, in our partnerships.

Today, students spent part of the time canvassing a neighborhood.  My immediate thought was "Oh boy, a bunch of strangers to New Orleans walking around the lower 9th to promote the organization we were working with" -- however the response the students got was one of welcome and comfort.  The community has not only enjoyed having volunteers, but has welcomed this as part of their life. We must always make sure we are welcome.

Lastly, we worked with two different community gardens, both which had little to no staffing.  Our presence did nearly 2 weeks worth of work in each garden.  This is of no criticism of the community who manages these gardens.  Realistically, what community members have enough time to do maintenance on their gardens, or keep the weeds from over-populating.  While managing a garden once, we went 2 weeks during a rainy period and had a situation that made me shudder.  We have the privilege of spending a week of our time, collectively, to accomplish great things in communities.

I'll never feel comfortable with these trips -- students, often of privilege, heading to communities in a form of "poverty tourism" that we attempt to make more educational, reciprocal, and intentional.  But while I continue wrestling with that - refusing to believe that there are not unintended consequences of my involvement, it is comforting to hear positive voices saying "come back and don't forget us." 

Patrick Grayshaw
Staff Advisor

Never a Stranger in New Orleans

My name is Yasmeen Alim. I'm a junior and this is my third Alternative Winter Break to New Orleans. Each time I visit, I am reminded why I always return. The service we do allows me to expand my mind and push myself out of the box. 

Today I "canvassed". Essentially, a fellow CE Scholar and I journeyed through the Lower Ninth Ward, getting signatures for a petition to reopen an elementary school. If you told me last year that I would have courage to go knock on people's doors and talk to them, I would've been doubtful to say the least. Nevertheless, here I was promoting an amazing cause to utter strangers. Ironically, I never felt like a stranger because the community was happy to see us. We told each resident we met that MLK elementary (the only one in the Lower Ninth Ward) had a long waiting list which resulted in children being bused to school before sunrise and returning home after sunset. The dangers of having children travel through darkness, the health issues of such a strenuous schedule, and the shear economic and environmental costs of such as system were enough to convince every last resident we spoke with to sign. 

More astounding was the difference in each resident. We met musicians, artist collectors, hardworking citizens, concerned parents and grandparents, and a few comedians along the way. Oh yeah! Did I mention we met plenty of cats and dogs as well? 

As we neared the end of our journey, I felt elated that I had pushed my self to try something new. Not only did we make a difference by helping with community organizing, but we also helped ourselves to a large piece of culture. With this exposure came a new understanding. 

I am grateful that I returned for a third time to actually meet the people that define the city. 

Wholesome

As we reach our last service day of this trip, I am trying to come up with a word that summarizes my experience so far. Educational comes to mind, as does emotional, incredible, and multi-faceted, but what I think I'll go with is wholesome. Everything we have done and learned so far has fit into a grand narrative and wholesome understanding of the very complicated situation that is post-Katrina New Orleans.

Yesterday, we had three separate and seemingly disjointed projects or sites that we visited. First, we visited Columbia Parc, the neighborhood that replaced the old St. Bernard Housing Project, and toured the mixed-income housing settlement. Then, we spent a while weeding at an urban community garden in the lower 9th ward that supplied food to communities in the neighborhood, and finally went to volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in assisting with after school activities and homework help for the children there. Today, we volunteered at a garden for Capstone, a different organization that provides food to families in the lower 9th ward, and volunteered again at the Boys and Girls Club. At first glance, these don't seem inherently connected, but the ways in which the underlying themes behind all of these sites intersect is so indicative of both the success of the immersion component of this trip overall and of the intricacy of the social issues that we are grasping at as we serve here. 

Visiting Columbia Parc and viewing the business end of the mixed-income housing model as opposed to a documentary that focused on the displaced community's story was jarring and conflicting. It raised more questions than it answered: what constitutes economic sustainability in a government subsidized housing project and is there a threshold at which point an equitable revenue source for public housing becomes more gentrifying than it should be? In a sharp decline from 100% to 33% public housing availability and with this model taking off across the nation, where do the displaced people living under the poverty line go? How do they survive? Is the sudden anti-felon waiting period of 5 years in what used to be open public housing causing even more inaccessibility for the typically low-income people of color who are victims to a systematically racialized justice system?This situation is so complicated and nuanced that it makes my head spin, but it connects to the other projects that we've worked on.

In attempting to rebuild New Orleans post-Katrina, there are so many spokes on the wheel, and all of them interrelated. In this instance alone, one of the aspects of Columbia Parc, the education center, related back to our work at the Boys and Girls Club. At CP, one of the main points of emphasis was a cradle to college pipeline with a focus on pre-school education. This became so much more significant when I tutored kids at the B&G club and realized how shockingly disproportionate the grade standards and the actual level of education of kids were. Most 1st graders and kindergarteners couldn't read, and were state-mandated to be doing assignments far beyond the skill set that they had. The majority of these children were of low income and racial minority families, the typical victims of a school system that privileges students that can afford to be educated in a way that meets standardized testing goals. What then? Rebuilding the physical infrastructure of NOLA post-Katrina is one thing, but education is just as significant a part of revitalizing a neighborhood and bringing it out of a cycle of poverty. Therefore it is significant and heartening to see that Columbia Parc, though I have my reservations about it, is focusing on early education as a means of aiding a neighborhood and thinking of the future.

Furthermore, the farms that we worked at brought up yet another connection: the availability of fresh produce in the lower 9th is very low, as it is a food desert. This is yet another part of revitalizing the neighborhoods; when low income families need to survive, they don't have the amenities to be eating organic and healthy foods when synthetic foods are so much cheaper and easier to come by. This causes significant malnutrition deficits in children which affects their performance in schools and their growth (one of the teachers at the Boys & Girls Club told me that the reason one of the juniors in high school was so short was due to the malnutrition caused growth stunting) overall. In the lots of houses that were unclaimed when citizens left and didn't return after the storm, nonprofits such as Acorn and Capstone have built farms that provide much needed free and organic produce for the families around the parish. In assisting at the community garden, we helped complete work that takes far longer with the few people that they have and aided in an effort that addresses yet another part of rebuilding communities in New Orleans. 

The list and connections go on, but really, it boils down to this: 

a) While I will never completely understand the situation here, I feel that in this one week, I have gotten a more wholesome understanding than I ever had, as I only ever knew bits and pieces of all this information. Between the aforementioned sites, the levees tour, Whitney plantation, and the Katrina museum, I have a more solid understanding of the continuing struggles of this community and of the different perspectives involved.

b) Everything, all that we did, is interrelated, and every bit of this is inherently related to race and class. Multiple axes of oppression are not only simultaneously experienced, but in conjunction, combine and transform each other, and this specifically is a racialized class issue. The low-income people of color, specifically the black citizens of New Orleans have been dealing with incredible injustice not only in the aftermath of Katrina, but in a series of systematically oppressive maneuvers that stretch back to their roots in slavery and manifest today in the ways that the housing authority, food supply, overall government, education system, etc. fail them in various ways, and yet they persist in awe-inspiring resilience. Every one of these projects and sites deserves conversation

about race and class, and I am glad that the overarching narrative that this trip has set up allowed us to do exactly that. The enormity of the situation is difficult to grasp and can only be attempted by not shying around the harsh realities of it. I am very fortunate to have been able to engage in this dialogue with such a good group. I only hope that we continue to remember that we must continue to talk about race and have these discussions, as there is no progress without that fundamental understanding.

Mounica Kota

Community Garden

This morning we had the opportunity to help out at a community garden, which provides fresh vegetables to the community.  In addition to the vegetables, the garden, which is actually a collection of different plots, also has honey bees and  a fish pond, which help provide money for the community garden project. One of the wonderful things about this project is that it not only provides food by growing it and giving it out, it also has a program to teach members of the community how to grow their own food . They provide the people with the tools that they need to grow their own vegetables.

I thoroughly enjoyed working at the garden because I knew that even though I was doing something that was fairly simple, pulling out weeds, it was a great help to the people of the community because with all of us working together we were able to accomplish a lot of work in just a few hours. By putting in just a little time and effort we were able to do something that was meaningful because with our work we infuenced a whole community, and all it took was a little time and effort.

Sindy Chavez

Zen in Pulling Weeds

There's something strangely therapeutic about pulling weeds. Pulling out the bad life from the dirt like cats tearing at furniture so new, more prosperous pants can grow...it's nice. There's also the added benefit that you're actually doing something for someone else that saves them time--the first woman we pulled weeds for told us that we saved her two weeks of hard labor, which was astonishing. It's incredible what all 15 of us can do collectively. What's kind of meta about that is that eventually after all the time spent working and being around each other during this Alternate Break is that we all get on the same wavelength mentally. Whether it be intuition, emotion, or humor, our minds are syncing. To the smallest thing like some person getting inspired over their work, we all get influenced from that energy. If someones's not feeling the work they're doing, we all feel that struggle. Due to the shared mindset of the trip, we all share the weight. It's powerful really what this work does to you--it's a from of group meditation in a way, everybody silently slaving on.

Who knows.

There's definitely work to be done here in New Orleans, that's without a doubt. This city is already so rich with life and culture, however, so many people and organizations are still suffering for the tragedy that happened a decade ago. This is unacceptable. The government may have given up on the city, put we the people have not. We see the potential in it and refuse to let that go to waste. We need bigger change and not abandon the vibrant life I've learned to love in New Orleans. New Orleans has this overwhelming perseverance to survive, and it's infectious. Here, in this swampy city, the test of real American opportunity, integrity, and willpower is put to the test. Hopefully, the rest of the country can see that.

- Jake Van Valkenburg

Mr. O

We're done with our second full day of our NOLA service trip and I've already met several wonderful, happy, spirt filled people. One of whom was Mr. O, a Boys and Girls Club of Louisiana Art Teacher. He had just moved here to New Orleans - he just updated his license this past weekend - and was so excited to see other people from Georgia that he couldn't stop talking.

Brad, Jake and I spent nearly two hours in conversation with a man who we later found out gave up a very well paying job with the GBI because he wanted to go where his passion lead him, his passion to be an art teacher. That passion lead him to the boys and girls club we were at today. He kept talking about how he teaches things that schools don't; how that when a child does something it has a reason so every single piece of art they bring him is perfect in its own way. So no matter what the kid drew he used his words to empower each and every child to foster their own imagination, as opposed to telling them it was wrong and having them start again.

I will always remember Mr. O for his pursuit of passion, his massive heart and ecstatic smile.   Most of all, I will remember one very specific statement he made. "Leave here knowing one thing, that's, the tiniest thing, I make it big." This statement reminds me that no matter who you're working with, adults, children, friends, family or even just yourself, always find the crack of light and rip it open until you see where your heart is, where you future is, where your passions lie.

Hannon, Max T. 

A Day to Remember

Day two of our trip to New Orleans was amazing. I was able to see the French Quarter for the first time ever and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I will never forget my best friend looking me directly in my eyes and exclaiming "Oh my gosh, I am moving to New Orleans!" To be completely honest, the experience was just that great. Then to top it off we spent the rest of the day at the Boys and Girls club, which was even more amazing. The kids were full of excitement, energy, and wonder. Helping tutor some of the kids and aiding them with their homework reminded me of just how bright children can actually be. It was also inspiring to notice the enthusiasm they had for doing their homework and learning in general. It was all just very refreshing.

Sedaries Mathis

Southern Hospitality and Other Lovely Truths

Yesterday morning our group did our first service project, which was painting a ramp up to the front porch of a woman's house. From the moment we stepped out of the van, we were shown constant compassion by her. She hugged us all, told us how thankful she was, and let us get to work, but not before we had been properly welcomed to her home.

I have done countless service projects, and I can attest that I have never been so warmly embraced by the person I was serving. It was a remarkable and unforgettable experience.

A few hours into our work, we had made a considerable amount of progress. The front ramp was nearly done, so some of us started painting a front porch on an apartment to the rear of the house. It was around that time that the woman who owns the house hollered from the front door that she was making a cake for us to show her appreciation. A cake to show appreciation. Not a simple "thank-you".

This woman poured her soul into a cake for us – something completely unexpected by any of us. It stirred in me a sense of home – of family and comfort.

Despite the hardships this city has seen, there is a culture of tightly-knit community like nothing I haven ever witnessed. Coupled with an undeniable effortlessness of interaction with the people, one can understand why this city is called the Big Easy.

-Brad Firchow

The "S-word"

Slavery. The feared "s-word" that people don't want to talk about. It never occurred to me until today how much people do not know about slavery, including myself on some aspects. Of course I know all about the civil rights movement, Jim Crowe laws, and segregation. I was born and raised in a city where the most prominent Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The Civil Rights Movement is discussed frequently, but I feel we as Americans lack discussion on the topic of slavery. Today it was amazing to find out how much I did know about slavery and how much I didn't know. We walked the ground of the Whitney Plantation in awe of the original slave quarters and plantation house as we followed the stories told by our tour guide. We learned about the tragedies, horrors, and outright despicable acts of slavery in America and specifically in Louisiana. It's incredible to know how many objects in our modern day life are a direct relation to slavery that we as Americans are blind to. One example is that of the symbol "fleur de lis". This symbol is seen all over New Orleans in many forms. Most poplar place is the symbol of the New Orleans Saints football teams. Although being a huge symbols for New Orleans football, Mardi Gras celebrations and many other things, it also has a dark side. In slave times, if a slave was disobedient to the master they were branded with the symbol directly on their skin. When slaves from Louisiana were traded, they had to carry this branded symbol around on them as a sign to future slave owners. I had no idea this small symbol played a role in slavery. The Whitney Plantation has a mission to preserve artifacts and stories from slavery so that history is not lost or forgotten. America has to wake up and accept the fact that slavery happened. Some people want to bury the events of slavery by not talking about it, leaving it out of textbooks and ignoring it as a whole. But we have to look slavery in the face and acknowledge it, only then can we prevent an act of terror such as slavery from happening in this nation again. I am beyond thankful to the Whitney Plantation for their continued efforts in telling the story of the enslavement of Africans in the United States for nearly 300 years. 

By: LaBreshia Taylor 

The trip down and the arrival.

Well today was the day! The whole alternative winter break group from OU piled into our two vans around 9:30am and set out for our service weekend in New Orleans. For 8 hours I drove my van in silence while everyone was sleeping, and Patrick drove the other van, he at least had music ;). One of the highlights of the drive was a skyline that we saw in Louisiana when we were only 30 minutes from our destination. This picture captures part of the stunning scene.

After our long drive we finally arrived at our home away from home known as Camp Hope. We were introduced to the man who keeps this place running and his name is Walt. Walt manages this place for a church down the road, and he explained that the purpose for this camp was to continue to show the many volunteers that their help is still needed and appreciated. New Orleans has come a long way since Katrina in 2005, but some places still need some restoration work, and that is the reason why we are here. I look forward to this weeks events and hope that we can make a difference, no matter how small, in this community! Also, I can't wait to experience the culture I've heard so much about! 

By:

Bonny Wagener

Alternative Winter Break Group Dinner

It's a day late, but here is a photo of the great AWB group at our pre-trip dinner.

The Wait is Over

  Tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock I, along with thirteen other people, will be embarking on a wonderful journey to volunteer in New Orleans. I am super excited that I will be able to make this memory with one of my best friends. We will be working with children at the boys and girls club and will be able to explore the state as we visit different museums and plantations.

  The opportunity for me to attend the New Orleans trip was very important for me. I believe that by giving back to the community we are giving ourselves the chance to grow and learn that we are blessed beyond measures. Not only am I excited about giving back. I am also excited to experience the culture of New Orleans and not to mention the food! 

   Stay tuned to our blog so that you can keep up with our journey and the experiences we have in New Orleans!
--Bailey

Another Visit, Another Learning Opportunity

When I try to tell friends and family what I do for a living, they really struggle to understand.  I cannot capture the amount that I have learned through my previous trips to New Orleans. Every trip presents new challenges, new opportunities, and new ideas.  While these trips can become routine to a staff advisor, I learn so much hearing what the students take away from each service experience and educational opportunity.

I was first asked to be an advisor for an Alternative Break trip in 2011.  I was specifically asked to come back after the trip and report if New Orleans was still worth the trip.  During my visit, six years after Hurricane Katrina, I witnessed such lack of redevelopment, that I knew we had to keep going.

During a trip in 2013, students located a unique partner to work with, The Whitney Plantation.  This plantation was being transformed to honor the children slaves that were lost.  I remember being on the grounds and the owner reminding us that we must not forget about slavery.  Growing up in the north, it seemed like a baffling idea that someone would choose to erase part of history.  The conversation about New Orleans development quickly was shaped by this visit to the plantation. 

Last year, our students located a grass-roots community partner that allowed us to work with community in the lower ninth ward. While my past visits included various service projects, they were largely confined to other areas outside of the lower ninth ward.  Getting the opportunity to talk with these community members gave me even more insight to the things I learned on past trips.

I look forward to the upcoming trip, and excited to learn something new, as I always do.  The students never cease to amaze me with their reflection, questions, and desire to be part of something bigger.

Patrick Grayshaw

Staff Advisor

The Purpose of this Trip

Since 2005 with the tragic hit of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, many groups and organizations have made it their mission to help with the reconstruction of the community; however, as the 10th anniversary has just passed this year we are going to change this. On this year's Alternative Winter Break, we will focus on Post Katrina: Issues of Social Justice in Community Development.

It has been 11 years since Katrina and depending on where in Louisiana you are, some areas look like they have never been affected at all, while others are still struggling to re-build homes. Some of these areas like the Historic 9th Ward are some of these areas which are still struggling-it is also home to a large minority population. While the country is currently struggling with racial tensions and members of the minority are fighting for equal rights, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore those members of the community which are being ignored.

It is our hope that with this Alternative Winter Break experience we will fully immerse ourselves into the New Orleans community. Thanks to our community partners we will explore the dynamics race and social classes have on economics of members in both struggling and flourishing neighborhoods.