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Sep 18, 2008

GREEN FOR ALL supports the New Orleans opening of Trouble the Water


We come to New Orleans for the first time, this city of so many rich stories of survival, to meet the incredible activists and visionaries helping to rebuild this city green, and uplift the lives of people who lost so much in Katrina. 

In 2005 when the storms hit, we watched in disbelief in the Bay Area in a state of helplessness and shock. We held benefit events to raise money for the survivors who lost everything and were trying to make refuge in Oakland and San Francisco. I worked with a colleague at the time at Ella Baker Center to produce a benefit album. Over twenty Bay Area poets, rappers, singers and musicians came together to create "Eye of the Storm - Love and Rage from the Bay to the Gulf." Many of our friends went to New Orleans to help in the absence of real government support. But, still it didn't seem enough.

Three years later, with one of the most critical elections hanging in the balance, we are here sharing a message of hope with the New Orleans community. Last night and today we met with the local leaders of this movement to create dignified jobs in the green economy for those who need work the most - John Moore, a green builder who is employed in the city's safety and permitting office, Stephanie Bridges and Nicole Godfrey of the NOCCJ (New Orleans Council for Community Justice), Mary Williams of Dillard University's Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Maurice Baird of City of New Orleans Office of Workforce Development/Job1, Vince Craige of Common Ground and others. These are the heroes and sheroes, who refuse to give up in the face of neglect and corruption. These are the visionaries who are offering hope to all of us across the nation in the heart of it all, where people have experienced the pain first hand of the effects of the perfect storm -- poverty and global warming. And these are the people who are offering clear solutions through the green jobs movement for the citizens of New Orleans.

Over the phone today, Trouble the Water's Director and Producer, Carl Deal told me, "The tourist economy should not be the only solution to the equitable redevelopment of New Orleans. Green jobs offer the most hopeful solution to the challenges faced by the people of New Orleans." At Green For All, we see that low income communities and communities of color have borne the brunt of the failures of the poisonous, old, "grey" economy. We want to make sure they get equal access to the opportunities in this fast-growing, new green one.

This morning we witnessed the Vice President of the New Orleans City Council offer a proclamation in support of the National Day of Action for green jobs. As Stephanie Bridges put it last night, "We are giving everything we have to the success of the green jobs movement. It is our greatest hope to fulfill the dream for a better New Orleans. We have to be greener to create a more healthy community."

We couldn't' be more honored to be here at this historic moment. Here's to the courage, tenacity and creativity of the people of New Orleans - in five years from now people around the county people will want to hire the green builders and innovators from New Orleans, those who came up through the storm to teach us all a better way.

With love and respect,
Alli and Ashel
Green For All
http://www.greenforall.org/


TROUBLE THE WATER SCREENINGS
Starts Friday, September 19
CANAL PLACE CINEMA
333 Canal Street in the Canal Place Center
On FRI Q&A after 5:00 and 7:30 pm shows with Director/Producer CARL DEAL,
Executive Producer DANNY GLOVER and KIMBERLY & SCOTT ROBERTS
ON SAT and SUNDAY Q&A after the 5:00 and 7:30 pm show with KIMBERLY & SCOTT ROBERTS
http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com

"GREEN JOBS NOW" RALLY
Saturday, September 27
LAFAYETTE SQUARE, NEW ORLEANS
601 South Maestri Place
2-4pm
http://www.greenjobsnow.com

(photos coming soon)

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#1

On August 28, 2005 I had an unwaivering faith that The United States of America would protect its people as it has always done for millions of other non-Americans throughout the world. Today, September 19, 2008, I am under no such dellusion.  The catostrophe of Katrina is not only the inadequate response to an unfolding tragedy but the realization that the tragedy was created by the very government who was entrusted to protect its people by building inadequate levees.  I welcome any work that deals with any aspect of the devestation that occured in New Orleans 3 years ago.  However, ‘Trouble the Water’ only deals with one aspect of the New Orleans devestation.  The Lower Ninth Ward is only one of dozens of neighborhoods which were devestated by the levees failures.  Eighty percent of a major metropolitan city, 100% of an entire adjoining parish, 60% of another cannot get completly destroy and leave any one unaffected.  I am a white middle class professional woman who lost everything due to the levee failures.  I did not collect any insurance money and did not qualify for any government assistance.  I have felt the pain of the people of the lower ninth ward but their pain has been no greater but equal to the pain of the rest of New Orleans.  The failure by the government and ALL OF AMERICA was to ALL NEW ORLEANIANS equally.  Thank you for caring enough about our beloved city and people.  Maybe someday the pain will be a distant memory which will allow me watch your work.

Posted by Francesca in New Orleans | 09/19/08, 11:50 PM EDT