Lower 9th Ward Village Community Center

The Lower 9th Ward Village

Skate Park sponsored by Mountain Dew

"Mack"

Close-up of the mural

Wednesday January 2, 2013

By: Elizabeth Dukette

I’m going to preclude this entry by saying a few things. First, there is no way for me to emphasize how much I learned from today in a few paragraphs. It was generally a day of orientation with some manual labor but I left the center with a mixture of feelings that go beyond my limited vocabulary. I am going to try my best to sum them up for you with a break down of my day and by explaining a complexity of feelings in a few words. Second, admittedly I’m not a writer so please forgive any grammatical issues.

We began our day by meeting with Ward “Mack” McClendon, the founder and organizer of the community center. He ushered us into his office which was sparsely furnished with two tables, one operating as his desk and the other positioned perpendicularly surrounded by chairs that allow the room to also act as his meeting space.  The center houses four showers in each men's and women's bathroom, a music room, a computer lab, and a newly renovated skate park for the youth. Mack began by giving us his background on and how the organization came to life. He originally purchased the space to act as a showroom for his collectible vintage car collection but was inspired to make it into a community center. The center has developed into something more dear to him than a car showcase.  Rather, it’s clear that this is now his livelihood. His mission is to redevelop his community not for the community but with them and empower the people that live there to take back the power. In interest of time be sure to check out the website for more information about the center.   http://www.lower9thwardvillage.org/new/

The main focus of our day was to help Mack prepare for a town meeting being held tomorrow at 6pm. We regenerated the computer room to house about 50 chairs.  The process wasn’t difficult but it reminded me that we are here for a reason, although I couldn’t pinpoint the reason just yet. We removed the computers and all the furniture then tackled the cleaning. In the end Mack was very happy with our work. This meeting will be the first he’s held in a few months and it’s apparent that he’s ready to get the community involved. He emphasized more than once, that during all theses efforts that no one bothered to ask the community what they wanted or needed. He additionally noted that they never made their voices heard. The man places no blame on the situation, but is trying to find the answer and encourages everyone to ask questions.

 In the afternoon we had another organizational meeting with Mack then went on a tour to see where the damage was done, and to hand out fliers for the meeting. We saw the aftermath of Katrina.  With the exception of the barracks, the area was a ghost town. Those still inhabiting the area hanging onto the only place they know. During the tour Mack shared a very fascinating story with us.  A few years ago on the anniversary of the storm, the community came together and had Jazz funeral for Katrina. Mack took a coffin and they paraded it through the Lower 9^th Ward to bury Katrina and to shift their focus on the inadequacy on the broken levy. They buried the casket in a 6-foot hole, people laid the storm to rest and placed pieces of their broken houses on the grave. The burial site is now a place of a home and under a swing set. 

Where they buried Katrina

A few lessons learned:

The media, not so surprisingly, is failing us. In the light of Hurricane Sandy it’s no surprise that efforts in NOLA have lessened, but to say there is still a need for help here is an understatement. Rebuilding efforts aside, the people of the communities here want answers to so many unanswered questions. How can the city take away homes simply because they haven’t mowed the lawn, which they lack the ability to do? Can the government really expect them to produce titles to homes that have been lost over the generations of the families that have lived there? Have people really forgotten about them? How is it that the government can poor millions of dollars into a barracks for the national guard, when there are people with no place to live? Do I have the answers to any of these questions? Nope. Do I wish I did? Absolutely.  I think I’ve known this lesson all along, but it’s necessary to be reminded every now and then.

            This city needs much more than money. They need to be heard. They need to vent. All of them lost more than just their homes and belongings. They lost their families, they clawed out of their homes for their lives, they lived for days without food or water, and they watched people die.  The psychological aftermath these people have to deal with must be unbearable. Money can’t erase a memory. Sometimes, we need to just be there, be quiet, and let others speak.

            There’s never an end. Seven years later and the people are just beginning to be able to begin rebuilding. NOLA will never be the same as it was before the disaster. This is a constant fight, with no end. Rather the community has found a new beginning. I realized by the end of today that sometime there are no answers and there is only so much that can be done. The real purpose of coming back is to remind those here, there is hope. People do care. With so much hate and destruction that comes in life, there is an equal amount of love and compassion. Whether it be Katrina, or Sandy there is always a need even when it hasn’t been publicized.

We need to be thankful for what we have. Everyone’s fighting for something, but we don’t have to fight alone and we need to love those that we have.