NY2NO

After two nights of sleeping in uncharacteristically freezing cold weather, New Orleans finally warmed up today. Turner returned to Blair Grocery early this morning and we embarked on a tour of the levee on the NY2NO school bus. The tour was long, lasting from 10AM to 4PM, and although we were tired and hungry, I think we all left with a surplus of food for thought (Apologies for the terrible pun). 

We began our tour at the levee in the Lower Ninth Ward. Turner gave us a historical background of the events leading up to Katrina that impacted the level of relief efforts with each neighborhood. As we toured various locations in and surrounding the Lower Ninth, including the bayou and the Mississippi River, we learned of the inequalities that local residents were predisposed to. We were able to see firsthand the roles that race and socioeconomic status play in shaping the surrounding landscapes of each neighborhood. Residents of the Lower Ninth have grown accustomed to the heavy pollution surrounding their homes, a factor that has come to affect their health and well-being. They were hit hardest by Katrina, due to a levee that was not well built, and compared to wealthier neighborhoods surrounding the Lower Ninth, efforts to rebuild the neighborhood have been sparse. After learning about the aftermath of Katrina, we were able to see why residents of the Lower Ninth would be disenheartened by the government, as they were clearly neglected as a neighborhood in terms of relief efforts and government support.

We wrapped up our tour with a visit to a Save-A-Lot store, an experience pertaining to our food justice project. Over the past week, we have been grocery shopping at different supermarkets in order to compare the availability of healthy foods to neighborhoods of different socioeconomic backgrounds. We found that, while it may appear on the surface that customers of Save-A-Lot stores are saving money, they are sacrificing the health of their families in the long term. Many of the foods sold at Save-A-Lot contain additives and saturated fats and are low in nutritional value. In addition, many residents of the Lower Ninth Ward do not possess the transportation necessary to reach larger supermarkets that offer fresh produce and meat.

After returning the Blair Grocery, we briefly discussed what exactly is going on in this community. Some of the issues we identified were the lack of faith with authorities, an unhealthy living environment, and inadequate educational resources. Later on, after dinner, we continued our discussion, branching off into an intense discussion on race, and the role that it can play in community organizing, especially in a community of a different demographic than your own. We shared our personal experiences with our racial identities, and discussed what being white or a person of color meant in our society. We spoke about stereotypes and discrimination, and what society expected from us according to our ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. We debated the role that Blair Grocery plays in the Lower Ninth Ward, whether it is truly integrated into this community, and what changes can be made to meet its goals. This may be one of our most personal discussions to date.

I can honestly say that we, as a group, have grown a lot closer over the past few days. We are all "displaced peoples" in terms of space and time -- an observation that was made during a previous debrief. We came to Blair Grocery as guests, and for many of us, the tour of the levee exposed us to issues that we have never previously encountered. Our discussions during debrief have become a safe space for people to share their opinions and spread their knowledge and personal experiences with others. Personally, the intensity and weight of the things we have seen over the past few days have left me questioning the values that I previously held. Our discussions have caused me to rethink my personal identity and my role in my community and beyond. Seeing the extreme conditions that Lower Ninth residents live under and the state of race relations in New Orleans have left me wondering whether I should be jaded or optomistic that change is possible. I am glad I am surrounded by a community of intelligent and compassionate people to help me make sense of my thoughts. There is still so much work to be done and so much more to be seen, and I'm eager to see what the rest of this week has in store for us.

Catherine