Dirty South

I have to admit, it's strange being from the West Coast and living in the South, really. We hold such stereotypes about the South and Southerners right? Being Black in the South makes me especially sensitive about the cultural dynamic here. I try to maintain a curious and opened mind even when others 'respectfully' don't. I've been called 'girl', I've been totally ignored by white woman, I've experienced the aggresive white male/black female entitlement flirting, and I've met some quintessential 'southern gentlemen' whom I respect to the fullest, but have to let down in the end. bummer.

One of the best things about being here is being among Black people who are comfortable with and proud of their identity--who understand and embrace their identity. For this reason alone, I love it here. New Orleans is simply an extension of the Caribbean Islands and West Africa. It is evident in the food, music, people's style, creole accents etc. My landlord told me one day that New Orleanians are "Island People." They stay close to home, cook amazing food, and love their families and extended family gatherings. I've witnessed this with the extravagant baby showers and birthday parties of my co-workers. For New Orleanians there is no occasion to small to party. Celebrate life always!

Biloxi

You know those historic cities that sound so romantic or nostalgic: Savannah, Birmingham, Biloxi? They largely hold significance because of an era in time or a film (Gone with the Wind, Biloxi Blues) that took place there. The bottom line is these are Southern cities with a lot of history. I realize I'm just some social geography buff, but since moving here I had been dying to go to Biloxi, Mississippi. I had never even been to MS so that was an adventure all by itself. My friend Adrienne from the Bay came to visit and we set off one Saturday afternoon to Biloxi. The drive is a little over an hour from NOLA. We got there late in the afternoon, but we were a little underwhelmed. This area had also been devasted by Katrina and had little to no action. As we drove down the beach front avenue looking for a boardwalk or restaurants, all we found was a big, tacky, pink casino. Most buildings looked torn apart by the storm or entirely vacant--a little depressing.

We didn't have anything to explore except nature itself so we ventured onto the beach area. Once we hit the sand we knew this was a special place. Ok, ok not like Sosua, Dominican Republic special, but Biloxi special. The white sand was super fine (like Jessica Alba, j/k) and seemed to melt beneath our feet. We laid out under umbrellas on lounge chairs for a bit. The late-afternoon weather was ideal with a light breeze and plenty of sun. The Gulf water was really warm and shallow, but we didn't get in. Little jelly fish carcases(below) washed up on the shore and we found a juicy one to play with. We spent the last moments there playing in the sand, making sand designs, and perfecting our cartwheels for nearby toddlers who were with their families. The best things in life really are free!

Katrina: 2nd Anniversay of the Great Flood

Down here you hear things like The Storm, or Katrina used often to describe time. If you ask someone where they live or where they work, they often start of with, before The Storm . . .or after Katrina. Their point of reference is The Storm, . . .or is it?

Since arriving, and working within the activist realm, I also here folks refer to the Great Flood. No, I'm not being dramatic here. Many people want to make a distinction between the Storm and the Flood. The storm did relatively minor damage to the city compared to the flood that ensued from the levees failing. Of course the storm damaged the roofs of structures and broke out the windows of many buildings, but it was the flood that wiped out entire sections of the city and left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands homeless.


In NOLA leading up to the 2nd anniversary, I spotted a slew of film crews, celebrities, politicians, and city employees cleanining up the streets (me w/ Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, right). The City hosted many events to mark the anniversary: the Hope and Recovery Summit at UNO, the International Tribunal (pissed I missed), A Day of Presence, Candelight vigils, and festiv 2nd line marches that New Orleans is world famous for. I was able to attend a few events via volunteering and doing outreach with work. It was a sombering week. In the months since, things have returned to normal or semi-normal. More and more residents are returning to the greater New Orleans area and living with family members while the try to save their homes. More on saving their homes soon . . .