Rebuilding Together is a nation-wide organization that believes every person should have a safe and healthy home to live in. With over 200 affiliates, Rebuilding Together provides free home repair and rehabilitation to low-income homeowners across America. Rebuilding Together New Orleans is currently the largest affiliate of the organization.

Rebuilding Together has been in New Orleans for many years and used to operate on the same level as most Rebuilding Together locations. Focusing on several homes and families a year with a small staff, they worked to meet the needs of the homeowners they could focus on. However, when Katrina hit, it was apparent that there was much work to be done. Rebuilding Together was one of the organizations that recognized the severity of NoLA’s needs post-Katrina and stepped in to offer their services. Over the last few years they have grown exponentially and with the help of a larger staff, Americore workers and volunteers from around the nation, they are able to serve several hundred homes a year.

One of the defining components of Rebuilding Together is their history of renewable, energy efficient and “green” practices as they service homes around the nation. In New Orleans, an effort has been made to refurbish existing structures in order to maintain the historic architecture that has defined New Orleans homes for so long. If a structure is torn down, it is done so in a way that makes reusing elements of the original building a possibility. Along with their home repair efforts, Rebuilding Together New Orleans has opened a warehouse that sells used, usable parts for members of the community to purchase at reasonable prices. Doors, wood panels, old fashioned bathtubs and light fixtures not only provide an earth-friendly way to upgrade your home but also bring interesting textures, colors and histories with them, making them fantastic choices to add a little flair to your living room!

When we first arrived we met with Rebuilding Together New Orleans’ Program Manager, John. Upon graduation from college, John moved to New Orleans as an Americore worker, offering his time to Rebuilding Together. Several years later, he remains a partner of Rebuilding Together and has become an integral part of the work that goes on there, organizing projects and helping to facilitate efforts going on within the community.

John, Program Manager

Rebuilding Together New Orleans has sustained itself on the generosity of volunteers from around the nation who come spend a week, a month, a summer assisting in the city’s home repair needs. While we were there, college students were spending their spring breaks serving the New Orleans community. A fear of the organization is that the farther away Katrina becomes, the less volunteers will be interested in coming to New Orleans. The need remains great and with the current financial crisis, it is a challenging time for many families and homeowners in New Orleans. Volunteering with Rebuilding Together is a wonderful way to get to know the New Orleans community outside of the tourist center and to support our neighbors making efforts to rebuild their communities!

Spring Break Volunteers

Mia Kaplan is one of those amazing individuals whose superstar status is inspiring on many levels.  Mother, artist, vendor and supporter of local New Orleans artists, she runs AMMO, a contemporary art gallery on Royal Street.

Several years ago, she moved back to New Orleans and began working in local galleries as well as continued developing her own work.  She soon fell in love with the storefront at 938 Royal Street.  She and her partner, Cedric Angeles, inquired about the shop and turned the old candy store into a hip, modern gallery space where they now showcase new work from developing artists.

AMMO's Courtyard

One of Mia’s favorite attributes of the gallery is the courtyard out back.  Open to the sky and surrounded by neighboring buildings, an intimate sanctuary of a space can be found behind the gallery office, complete with a fountain and wrought iron benches.  It is quite peaceful and Mia uses that space to celebrate the openings of her artist’s shows.

Her desire is to showcase work that stirs an audience to feel something.  Feel angry, feel moved, feel inspired, feel offended—she is OK if not all visitors love every piece of art she brings in but she’s not satisfied if you walk in and walk out without experiencing anything.  Art is meant to affect its audiences and Mia looks specifically for work that moves her, trusting it will also move others.  In doing so, she does not stick to one kind of artist or medium but trusts her gut to make clear to her what work is significant and right for her space.  This makes frequent visits to AMMO a must for any art lover, in order to keep up with all of the work she brings in!

As far as her own work is concerned, Mia is interested in the ways that perspective can change our experiences of something.  She has focused on developing paintings–that are beautiful in their own right–and then using origami techniques to transform the flat images into something all together new and beautiful.  In these folded pieces, we can see glimpses of the original painting yet witness it as an entirely different entity than what it would have been pre-transformation.

Her young daughter often joins her while working in the studio and paints alongside of her mama.  In one show, Mia even included a flower, made from a painting that her daughter made, in a series of origami flowers.  It was aesthetically beautiful but also meaningful to know of this mother/daughter collaboration.  In addition, it highlights Mia’s ability to find inspiration from many sources and reflects her openness as an artist to organically follow where her art might take her.

Focusing on one artist at a time, AMMO is a great space to come and explore a series of work from a particular artist and not grow overwhelmed by the scope of work that is often crammed into one space.  Come, enjoy the work of spectacular artists, be moved and inspired, and see what is happening in the New Orleans art scene!

Mia Kaplan in AMMO

Randy helps serve up Saundra Green's home cooking!

From the moment I met Randy, he was all smiles and charm. A walking textbook of New Orleans knowledge, he spends his days giving tours of the city to interested visitors. Before Katrina, he would give three tours a day, seven days a week. Lately, he struggles to get four or five a week but things are looking up, he says.

I joined Randy for his Culinary Tour. Getting to know New Orleans through the history of its foods and cultures was a tasty way to learn about the communities and the transitions the city has gone through.

Randy gave us a run down of misused terms and cleared up what they mean. He shared that Creole means “native to the region.” The original settlers who came to New Orleans were French, Irish, African, etc. However, their children, regardless of their culture, who were born in New Orleans, were and are Creole. Another fun fact is that “Gumbo” is a West African word for the vegetable ocra!

Alongside of terminology, Randy cleared up misconceptions about food from New Orleans. It might not be spicy at all. Heat is not what defines food in New Orleans but rather, a layering of flavors. True New Orleanians cringe at the thought of covering their delicious meals with hot sauce!

What begins that savory flavor in most dishes is the roux. Carefully simmered oil and flour is browned to perfection to create the base for gumbo, etouffee, and many other dishes from New Orleans. How long the roux is simmered and what shade of brown it becomes determines what dish that particular roux will be used for.

Making the roux

After the roux, the “Holy Trinity” makes up the next layer of flavors with celery, onions and peppers. As various communities from around the world relocated to New Orleans, they had to find vegetables native to the region in order to make the dishes they knew and loved. Peppers, onions and celery were found in abundance and continue to make up a significant part of New Orleanian cooking today.

And then, it was time for the taste tour. Our first pit stop was Petunia’s for some gumbo. It was delicious! Creamy and full of flavor, I couldn’t imagine covering such a dish in hot sauce (and I love my hot sauce!).

Throughout the tour we stopped at Leah’s Praline Store (say it with me now, “prah-leen”) where we sampled freshly made pralines. A pit stop in Brennan’s taught us some fun trivia. The famous dessert, Bananas Foster was created under their roof!

From the rich history of the city and it’s cultures, the delicious dishes we sampled and the warm and inviting people met along the way, the culinary tour proved itself to be a “must do” for any tourist in New Orleans. And with Randy, you’ll learn all the economical ways to experience the hot spots in the city. Try going to Antoine’s for a cocktail and appetizer. Gain the experience, save the cash!

Bon Apetit!

Justin Shiels, co-founder of Curious Tribe

What happens when a group of friends decide they have the power to change the world?  Curious Tribe, the movement happens. Curious Tribe is a New Orleans based company of creative friends who have made it their mission “to elevate young adults by cultivating a language of creativity through art, fashion, music and culture.”

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Justin Shiels, one of the creative minds behind Curious Tribe, and picking his brain about his vision for New Orleans and the young adult culture in our nation.

It’s easy to tell at first glance that Justin is hip.  Arriving in style and with an inviting grin, he shared about his initial journey to New Orleans as a Loyola student.  The Big Easy quickly won over his heart and, like many, Justin has caught the bug…the NoLA bug, that is.

Incredibly articulate and proud of his city, thoughts on the powerfully growing arts scene, the historical and modern music scene, the beautiful and quirky architecture and landscapes that make up New Orleans fluidly roll off his tongue.  He describes New Orleans as a city that embraces and needs it’s creative minds, a city whose young artists join forces and support each other, a city that in every nook and cranny feeds a creative spirit through visual and aural stimulation, a city that has the potential to be one of the nation’s leading hubs for artists and young professionals.  What young, creative individual would not want to make their home in such a place?

What caught my attention most was Justin’s descriptions of our generation.  A generation of individuals, many of whom long for and demand truth in all areas of life.  Who desire transparency whether in regards to relationships, community affairs or government.  A generation that is searching for sustainable ways to continue development.  And a generation of folks who value engaging creative minds in order to positively transform our world.

I ask what it would take to draw those artists and young professionals en masse to this city.  What does New Orleans need in order to sustain itself and grow into a place of flourishing development, yet again?

Fix the levees, he says.  Things won’t fully grow and sustain themselves until the levees are fixed and solid and once they are in place, the city will boom again.  And in the mean time, Justin, Curious Tribe, and the countless artists and professionals passionately living out their dreams in New Orleans will work to cultivate, develop, and support their city.  Even without the levees, their energy continues to draw partners from around the nation and world to relocate or return to their city and continue to infuse it with the magical energy it has always been known for.  From my apartment in Brooklyn, I find myself lost in visions of what life might be like in the vibrant NoLA….

Justin and Curious Tribe can be found at www.curioustribe.com, where blogs on fashion, music and culture, links to the Curious Tribe ‘zine and to Justin Shiels’ graphic design skills make their home.

Since its inception in 1974, the Preservation Resource Center has worked with communities, developed resources, and implemented an impressive array of programs to help preserve the historic neighborhoods that make New Orleans unique. Since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, the Preservation Resource Center has assisted over 5000 families in saving their homes. In addition, this fine organization has helped over 100 low income families get back into their homes.

The overarching goal of the Preservation Resource Center is to help rebuild New Orleans in a way that is sensitive to its past and heritage. In an effort to balance the immediate needs of families with the broader goals of historic preservation, the Preservation Resource Center works closely with various neighborhood associations, City Council, the City Planning Commission, the Historic District Landmarks Commission, the Board of Zoning Adjustment, the State Legislature, and the US Congress.

Rebuilding Together New Orleans is a local affiliate of the national nonprofit organization Rebuilding Together, and they are doing some very important work in the city of New Orleans. Virtually all of the work done on behalf of local homeowners is done at no cost to the homeowner, utilizing predominantly local volunteer labor and materials. This program aims to assist those individuals and families most affected by the impact of Hurricane Katrina. The following statistics highlight the immense impact this fine organization is having in Post-Katrina New Orleans:

Application Forms Reviewed - 554

Technical Evaluations Performed -  375

Total Units Completed - 137

Completed Houses - 115

Houses in Progress -  35

Total Number of Volunteers - 5123

Total Volunteer Hours - 154711

Estimated Market Value - $2717025

In addition to their stated goals of historic preservation, the RTNO is thoroughly committed to environmental responsibility. Their green building strategies include the following:

Salvaged Materials – Collecting used roofing tiles, doors, windows, cabinets, bricks and columns from deconstructed buildings, and reusing them in a responsible manner.

Energy Efficiency – Installing Energy Star heating and cooling systems, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs.

Insulation – Installing radiant barriers to ensure efficient insulation.

Ventilation – Restoring glazing and screens as opposed to complete window replacement.

Landscaping – Planting trees around the home to reduce the amount of sunlight entering the house.

Water Conservation – Installing aerators in sink faucets and switching to low-flow shower heads.

Recycling – Recycling plastics and cardboard from all volunteer sites.

Needless to say, Rebuilding Together New Orleans is doing some incredible work on the ground here in New Orleans.  Please show your support for Rebuilding Together New Orleans by getting involved today. Organizations like this are truly helping NoLA Shine! For more information visit www.prcno.org.

If you do decide to contact the folks at RTNO, be sure to say hello to Mr. Peter Hadley for us

I met Tiffany in a bar shortly after I arrived in New Orleans, she told me how she had spent years of her life working under business owners and thinking about how she would run a business if she had one, she was just always too scared to do it. Tiffany moved around living in different parts of the US and came back after Katrina to be with her family. New Orleans had always been home. “It’s the one place where – if we had a subway- I was to get off and come up from underground at any given intersection, I’d know exactly where I am and exactly which way was north, south, east and west, and know at least three people who lived within a two block radius. That’s how I know its home.”

Tiffany had always wanted to run her own store, and not too many people were investing or starting businesses in the years following the flood, but Tiffany thought that her dream candy store would be just the thing the neighborhood needed. A fun stop for all ages who are looking for something sweet, “an affordable old-style candy store, none of that expensive European stuff,” Tiffany told me just days before she opened. This was a place where you could get all the old fashioned penny store candy, candy by the piece, and candy that everyone could afford.

Lucky You! Is everything and more than Tiffany said it would be. The beautifully rainbow painted store is full of bins of old gumdrops, Gummi Bears, jelly belly’s, Mary Janes, soda bottles, mike & ike’s, Nerds, giant Jawbreakers and more. There are piñatas dangling from the ceiling in every shape and size and the back yard has a beautiful mural of sunflowers with picnic benches for birthday parties. Speakers face the street so that anyone strolling down Magazine Street can hear oldies, and I cannot even begin to tell you the number of times I headed down the street to the grocery store and got sidetracked into making a candy stop at Lucky You because the music and the colors were just so inviting.

You can often catch Tiffany and her staff of young girls dancing behind the counter, blowing bubbles into the street or making champagne candy cocktails for bridal showers. At all hours of the afternoon and evening I will see groups of teenagers, elderly couples, little kids, walking a block or two away from the store with small brown paper bags full of I can only imagine what kind of sweet goodness. Always makes me want to head over and grab a few gummies.

Tiffany has succeeded in building the store of her dreams and giving something nice, affordable and sweet back to the community. Lucky You! is definitely become a part of the community in New Orleans.

In the spirit of the Festival NoLA Rising tagged a wall in Long Island City at the notorious Five Points Gallery. With their own unique Southern Gulf Coast style the crew of New Orleanians made their mark in the cold climates amongst some of the best street and visual/graphic artists in the world.

“I’ve never seen anything like that place,” said Avi. “When I got there I just could not stop taking photos and looking up. Everything was so amazing, and I wondered how I was going to paint a wall.” Avi replied, “your work is different, and that is why you need to make one.” By the time the wall was finished they had won over the respect and excitement of several artists and the gallery owner. If you happen to be in NYC in the near future, check it out!

Jennifer Pagan, a born and raised resident whose Creole family has been a part of the tapestry of New Orleans for generations, moved back from Los Angeles shortly after Katrina. She had been working with writers and directors out west to sculpt performances, comedy sketches and written plays. During the flood her family and grandmother had lost their homes and her heart called her back to New Orleans. She became a teacher and performer with Young Audiences, an organization that provides teacher salaries and supplies for art classes in the New Orleans Public Schools and schools across Southern Louisiana that have gone without art programming since the flood. Quickly Pagan established herself in the small but fierce theater world that was working through the emotional and physical turmoil following the floods. Pagan, also the marketing director of Whole Foods in New Orleans, has become one of the queen forces in building and strengthening the theater and performance community in NoLA. “I’d love to see the theater and performance community in New Orleans, reach the level of the visual art community here.” Post-Katrina visual art has exploded in the crescent city. Galleries are springing up around town of artists making work out of the debris left behind by the hurricane, of installation artists, painters, photographers. Many consider it to be an art renaissance and one of the great things that has occurred in the city as a result of the flood.  Jennifer, who devotes endless hours of time, energy, resources and money to helping facilitate some of the new theater companies and performance artists that have sprung up since the flood, would like to see that world some day get the same attention and notoriety. Whether its giving an opening speech, sitting on a panal, evaluating a grant, donating food, time, money or a projector, Pagan is behind it and her efforts are allowing these companies and artists to survive and make powerful moving work against great odds.

Her own show, Shoebox Lounge, was workshopped in the New Orleans Fringe, a Festival that Jennifer was extremely excited about and proud of for the city of New Orleans. Her show, however was an equal success. Sold out and receiving wonderful reviews she jumped on a plane to NYC to perform it as part of the NoLA Rising Festival in NY to raise money for Young Audiences. On the plane she re-worked parts of the script and had two more killer performances in NYC. The piece is a beautiful, sad and humorous account of her personal relationship with the city of New Orleans as told through the generations of her Creole family. People in New Orleans cried as she dealt with the flood, her grandmother, alcoholism, the way the city has changed since Katrina, and they laughed with her as she revealed some of the characters, wit and resilience that keeps New Orleans rain or shine ticking.

At the corner of North Broad Street and Bienville

The Broad Street Bazaar

Never have I felt a complete sense of community in New Orleans stronger than when I am at the Broad Street Bazaar.  Every fourth Saturday of the month, I have the opportunity to spend a beautiful afternoon basking in the presence of good music, good food, and great people.  As one of the coordinators and publicist for this neighborhood flea market, I feel like to get have my cake and eat it too.  What more could I ask for?

Hosted by The Phoenix of New Orleans (PNOLA) and Broad Community Connections (BCC), two great non-profit organizations seeking to rebuild and revitalize New Orleans, this bazaar is supported by the generous donations of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, and the Downtown Neighborhoods Improvement Association (DNIA). 

I also have to admit that PNOLA’s eleven AmeriCorps members have also been instrumental in helping the bazaar run smoothly most of the time…let’s make that EVERYTIME.

We have booked musicals acts like the DeSoto Street Band, BofoNewNO, Zion Trinity, and the House of Healing Outreach Church Gospel Choir with vendors ranging from Cree’s Cheap Chic to Ms. Lisa’s Avon products.  There are so many great deals, steals, and bargains.

You can grab a bite to eat at Ruby Slipper’s table or get some barbecue at Liberty’s Kitchen.  There is a children’s play area sponsored by the Broad Street Mission and you can also get a free health screening from the Tulane Medical Mobile Unit.

Along one of New Orleans’s main streets, the Broad Street Bazaar is a pulsating picture that the city is slowly, but surely coming back to life.

I dare you to come out and see for yourself the transformation that is happening at the corner of Broad Street and Bienville.  See you there!   -Lashon

To see footage from our first bazaar visit http://www.viddler.com/explore/katrinafilm/videos/90/

Lashon Daley is the Public Relations Manager for The Phoenix of New Orleans.  She can be contacted at Lashon@pnola.org.

Esplanade Holiday Fest

Saturday, December 13th

3 pm to 8 pm

2 great bands for dancing in the closed off street

(Ponce de Leon at Esplanade Avenue)

Art Market * Santa to arrive via horse and carriage * Kids Tent

Lots of great fun, plenty to eat and drink, and dancing in the street!

Thanks to Charlie London for the tip.

http://fsjna.org

http://katrinafilm.com