Baton Rouge was our first stop, after driving 26 hours straight to Louisiana, from Upstate NY. We arrived at our mother’s sister’s house, entirely worn out from the long trek. After a night’s rest, we were ready to explore New Orleans. My sister and I wanted to see what was left after Hurricane Katrina. Even after all these years, there is still blatant devastation of the lower 9th Ward, the area where the levy broke. The remains were heart breaking: empty plot after empty plot, and maybe a few concrete porches here and there, then row upon row of abandoned homes. The houses are brightly colored, and small with beautiful, intricately carved embellishments. The town was eerily quiet, as if everyone left at once, and never returned.
We did meet one person, Chris, who is turning empty lots into vegetable gardens. The cause he dedicates his time to is known as the Villere Farm Project. It is supported by an organization called lowernine.org. They rent land that would otherwise be vacant, for $1.00 per year. Their goal is to provide families in the lower 9th with affordable produce, while working to create sustainable business for the area.
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