Author: Sonia Lessuck
Three years ago, in late August of 2005, one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States struck the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina was a Category Five hurricane by the time it reached New Orleans. Housing damage, flooding, broken levees and destruction of entire neighborhoods only begins to scrape the surface of what this city and its people have experienced to the present. To promote learning about the disaster, Occidental hosted Rebirth Week from March 16 to 20.
Immediately after Katrina, there appeared to be a lag in response by the United States government. Because of this, the people of New Orleans and hundreds of supporters around the country took it upon themselves to rebuild the city. One such group was called the Common Ground Collective, started by Sharon Johnson, Malik Rahim and Scott Crow just seven days after Katrina hit.
Sarah Cantor (first-year), who was in charge of publicity for the event said, “Our goal for Rebirth Week was to raise awareness about the issues that residents of New Orleans are still dealing with due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, including racial and class prejudices and a lack of governmental help. Many residents suffered during the storm because the government failed to help those in need, and many have not been able to return to their homes almost four years later.”
One of Occidental’s own faculty, Assistant Politics Professor Caroline Heldman, has been involved with Common Ground since Katrina struck. She has organized groups of students to go to New Orleans and work with the volunteer organization. She also works closely with a New Orleans women’s shelter, which houses students during their visits. The motto of the trips remains “Solidarity not Charity.”
In an effort to show and explain to the campus at large what solidarity looks like, students who have volunteered organized last week’s Rebirth Week.
Rebirth Week was a week-long event for students to learn about New Orleans pre- and post-Katrina. Every night of the week, a small event was held with a specific educational purpose. Monday was dedicated to informing students about the destruction of New Orleans, themed “What Happened?” That night there was a screening of “Welcome to New Orleans,” an hour-long documentary about New Orleans’ first year after Katrina.
On Tuesday, “What’s Happening Now,” there was a gallery opening in Weingart by artist/activist Jackie Sumell. Sumell and former political-prisoner Robert King held a talk on the Weingart patio to discuss the purpose and inspiration for the exhibit. The exhibit was created to raise awareness and activism for the Angola Three, three political prisoners at Angola prison in New Orleans. While imprisoned, King met Black Panther Party members Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox. During their sentence the three men were then accused of a crime, which many argue they did not commit, and all were sentenced to solitary confinement.
Although King has been released, Wallace and Woodfox are still at Angola, and have been in solitary confinement for nearly 36 years. Sumell’s exhibit began when she started correspondence with the men.
Inspired by their letters she felt compelled to ask the question, “What kind of house would a man who’s been in a solitary cell for 36 years build?” To help fulfill this dream, she has been working with Herman Wallace to build the house he’s designed.
On Wednesday, creator of Common Ground, Malik Rahim, spoke to students in an effort to motivate students and explain why they need to join the solidarity movement as well. On Thursday and Friday, the week continued with efforts to reach out to the men in Angola with activities such as, writing letters to Wallace and Woodfox. The week ended with a celebratory display of music and virgin daiquiris during lunch on Friday.
Students who have gone to New Orleans feel passionate about the rebuilding of New Orleans, and its message of solidarity. Volunteer Nonda Hanneman (junior) said, “New Orleans is a city that will give you more than you can ever give back to it. You can’t understand the terrible devastation that hit this city until seeing it first-hand. Those that were left behind were treated inhumanely, in ways that cannot be described or understood. I think that is why students that go down feel so compelled to do things back on campus. The experience is so moving, you can’t NOT do something when back at Oxy. Even though it is hard to understand without going down to New Orleans, students that go want so badly for others to be able to connect a little, and that is why Rebirth week continues to exist.”
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