Hello everyone! My name is Daniel Schekorra. Kelly Mazzoni and I are very excited about the alternative break trip that we have planned! Our topic is Urban Development and Oppression. We are going to be examining the impact of racism in New Orleans' past, present, and future. Additionally, we are going to assist in the ongoing rebuilding process resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Katrina caused an estimated damage of $108 billion, and the rebuilding process is still very much underway. Our topics will combine as we examine if racism played a part in Katrina's aftermath.
Our 14 students will be heading to New Orleans on March 9. We will begin our week by exploring how racism has shaped New Orleans' culture through service at the Whitney Plantation. The owner is renovating the plantation to become a museum honoring the people who were forced into slavery at the location. The following post will give much more information on Whitney. Follow this link if you would like to see the website http://whitneyplantation.com/. Continuing our focus on racism, we will be serving at a community center the following day to speak with people who have lived in New Orleans their whole lives and can tell firsthand experiences. For example, a woman that will be there was the first person to be integrated into her school district.
The following day we will be going on a field trip! An environmental science professor from Tulane University will be taking us to the Lower Ninth Ward to discuss Hurricane Katrina. Among other things, we will learn about why Hurricane Katrina was so devastating. We will round out the day with renovation service work at a local youth center.
On Thursday we will be exploring New Orleans' culture in the French Quarter! We will be visiting the Katrina and Beyond museum (http://www.neworleansonline.com/news/2010/Nov/katrina.html) in the morning. As a participant last year, I can say that walking through the museum is a powerful experience. We will spend the remainder of the day in the French Quarter.
We are planning to round out our service on Friday with renovation work in the Wetlands! Restoration of this area will provide protection to New Orleans the next time a hurricane strikes.
Kelly and I are so excited for our visit to New Orleans! Thank you to everyone who was involved in designing the trip. Please continue to visit our blog from March 10-14 as different students will be blogging about their experiences every night!
Thank you!
Daniel Schekorra
No comments:
Post a Comment