The Wake

The Coffman Memorial Union Theater crowd’s enthusiasm was almost startling. The smiling faces are those of the children and their families from New Orleans who lost nearly everything except each other to Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005.

“Children of New Orleans, Still Weathering the Storm” was sponsored by Mercy Corps, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts/Riverfront and Operation REACH, Inc.; each of which are organizations contributing to the rebuilding of New Orleans. The speakers were eleven children sharing the documentary they made during six weeks at Gulfsouth Youth Action Camp.

Before the film was screened, a slideshow displayed photos of devastated homes and ruined communities. And it was impossible to ignore the children talking and laughing as the desolate photographs faded in and out in front of them. Their high spirits were admirable, considering the sadness I felt looking at the images.

The empathy in the eyes of those around me was noticeable as the documentary began. It is one thing to watch clips of the wreckage on the news, but it is a very different experience seeing the children’s homes in shambles while sitting in an auditorium with them.

The documentary helps tell every child’s unique story. Bryanna Cooper, 14, explains that for nearly two weeks after Katrina hit she was separated from her mother. “I had to basically grow up overnight because I had major responsibilities to take care of,” she says. Such responsibilities included taking care of her grandmother, whose health assistance was swept away with everything else.

The documentary captures Bryanna returning to her house for the first time since the storm. She walks into her barren room devoid of everything she once had. “Life as I knew it before Katrina is gone,” Bryanna explains. She says her experience was a wake-up call, and now finds it easier to express herself rather than keeping her thoughts and feelings closed up inside.

I was shocked by the maturity and bravery these children possess. Jonathan Calders, 11, stands in front of what he once considered his house and points to a rusty line that spreads across it. “This is how high the water got,” Jonathan says. “It’s as tall as me.” Jonathan tells us that he lost contact with all of his friends except for one, and he was forced to leave the family cat, Ghost, behind.

Along with the standing water lines that embellish each house is a big “X” spray painted by the relief teams. Lingering above the “X” is the date the relief teams entered the house, some of which date to up to three weeks after the hurricane hit. To the right is the number of bodies found, and underneath the “X” is the number of animals found when entering the house.

On a Hurricane Katrina tour through New Orleans in December, I witnessed the reminders of the hurricane that still tarnish the sides of the houses. Many rooftops have holes in them carved by people in boats trying to find residents stuck in their attics. I had thought that New Orleans would be put back together after what seemed to be so much rebuilding, but the tour showed me otherwise.

The documentary expresses the children’s desire for help in making the transition from devastation to restoration. Parts of New Orleans still don’t have electricity or safe water.

After the documentary, the children answered questions posed by the audience. They spoke about their participation in the summer camp, their perception of the government’s involvement with Katrina, and what gave them hope through the troubled times.

They each expressed their gratitude for the volunteers that worked with them at the camp last summer. “Not only did I bond with the kids, I bonded with the counselors too,” Yorel Moon, 12, says. The camp provided a space where they were able to discuss their feelings and learn to cope with their tribulations.

All of the children were enthusiastic about the success of the New Orleans Saints (the city’s professional football team) and how they contributed to the renovation. Angela Causie, 12, says the Saints give her hope because they reacted to Katrina quicker than the government did. The Saints also gave her a reason to celebrate, which is something these children needed in a period of such sadness.

Despite the young ages of the children, they all have insight about the government’s involvement in the rebuilding process. “I think that the government didn’t respond to Katrina,” Tyre Brown, 11 says. “When they did it was too late. The houses were messed up from bottom to top.” Tyre continues to say that people should go down to New Orleans to help because it isn’t over yet, and the money the government gave wasn’t enough. All of the children are all adamant about needing volunteers, not money.

The Times-Picayune newspaper reports one year after Katrina that the number of Louisiana residents whose lives were taken by the hurricane totaled 1,464, and a total of 160,000 homes were destroyed. The Aug. 29, 2006 article continues to report that 240,000 Gulf Coast residents were forced to relocate, many who may never return. The effect of this many people fleeing the town was equally as devastating to some as the natural disaster itself, costing the elderly their medical assistance, some adults their jobs, and the children their education.

Yorel compares New Orleans to a zoo. “People come, they look, and they leave,” she says. “New Orleans shouldn’t be treated like a zoo; it’s our home.” As the children stated, they need our help. They don’t need monetary donations or clothes; they need volunteers. If you are interested in helping, the Gulfsouth Youth Action Camp is looking for volunteers for the summer of 2007. Lisa Albrecht, Associate Professor from the School of Social Work at the University of Minnesota, is the consultant for this summer’s program. If you are interested in helping restore New Orleans, you can email her at , or log onto for more information pertaining to the summer camp.

“There is more than just the Mississippi River that connects us to New Orleans,” Albrecht says. “It’s our humanity.”