the problem:
Our focus in New Orleans and throughout the semester will be to understand how different communities (Versailles, French Quarter, Lower Ninth Ward, St. Bernard’s Parish, and more) have reacted and adapted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We plan to visit and help out organizations from various sectors to witness how different actors play a role in the ongoing recovery. Where does the government (federal and local) fit into the picture? How about community organizing? Nonprofits? And even private actors? We will investigate the disparities evident in this area both before and after the storm, paying close attention to the storm’s intensifying effects on inequalities that have been present for decades. We plan to focus specifically on environmental justice, juvenile justice, education, sustainability, and racial/class discrimination. By observing various social justice issues we plan to discuss how many of the issues overlap/intersect in terms of overarching themes such as race, class, gender, and underrepresentation.
vital stats:
people impacted:
150
people involved:
14
why it's important:
New Orleans is such a unique and special community, strong and full of spirit but neglected and rife with inequality. I am especially interested in juvenile justice and education, but I’m both fascinated and devastated by all of the myriad other issues that plague this beautiful community. Hurricane Katrina, one of America’s most significant “natural disasters,” illuminated, intensified, and brought to the national stage a plethora of issues already facing the Gulf Coast. During our week in New Orleans, we will witness first-hand the blatant inequality and, in many areas, the implausible lack of progress that has been made since Katrina struck in August 2005. We will work side-by-side with community members throughout the city who have dedicated their lives to the struggle for justice and stability. We will interact with them on a personal level, building solidarity and gaining some understanding about their culture, their experiences, and the incredible sense of community that has formed around this disaster.
the plan of action:
Our goal is to provide a safe but challenging environment where participants feel comfortable deeply reflecting on their backgrounds, feelings, and thoughts concerning the various projects in which we are engaged. We hope participants find some aspect of the break about which they are passionate and will continue to pursue even after the program’s end, in NOLA and/or their own communities. Through adherence to the service-learning-reflection model and recognition of the positive impact this work has on us as leaders and participants, we hope to establish relationships with our community partners characterized by solidarity, not charity. This same advocacy should spread to participants’ friends and colleagues so that the movement of Alternative Breaks can be further spread and expanded. Our program includes a semester-long class leading up to the trip during which participants will learn about the social justice issues we'll work with and challenged the perceptions of themselves and their peers. This will be the sixth year of our program, though my involvement began just last year. We have taken just over 70 students on this trip so far and many have gone on to continue work in New Orleans and on these specific social justice issues in other geographic locations.
how you can get involved:
We make our program very affordable for students so so it can be as accessible as possible. Given that we must pay for travel (air and ground), accommodations during the trip, food, and other expenditures, we are always looking for other sources of funding. Besides that, people can spread awareness about the injustices still very present in New Orleans. Organizations working on these social justice issues in or around the New Orleans area can contact us for possible collaboration because we are always looking for new community partners to work with and learn from.
project updates:
