What we don’t know
I was supposed to get up this morning and go to yoga in the Sculpture Garden at 8AM then drive over to meet up with the Lafitte Corridor people at 10AM in front of Louis Armstrong Park.
or
I was supposed to get up this morning, ride my bike to NOAC for spin class at 9AM and then go meet the Lafitte Corridor group at 10AM.
instead
I woke up, had tea, read about a comedian Zach Galiafianakis in last weeks Sunday NY Times. Got on my bike and met the Lafitte Corridor group at 10AM in front of Louis Armstrong Park.
AND
I thought I was hiking with them to find out more about the progress being made on the Lafitte Corridor.
BUT
I learned more about New Orleans and other events than I imagined and all of it made me happy to be living here and proud of our city.
I arrive in front of the park and there were a bunch of people wearing “NEW ORLEANS PROUD TO BE HOME” tee shirts. I was talking to an acquaintance and she said, “Katrina was four years ago but for most people here it feels like it happened yesterday.” I said it was as galvanizing as the Civil War, which seemed to be top of mind for most Southerners even though it happened during 1861 to 1865.
We started walking passed the Lafitte projects that were torn down to much civil unrest after Katrina. And we stopped first at the Soujourner Truth Community Center with its refreshing looking screened in community pool to the right. There we heard about remarkable things going on from the president and another woman at the center (who knew this was taking place or even existed). This center has been instrumental in helping Providence develop the 27 acres for low income rental, first time ownership housing and a senior center.
Then we walked up Lafitte and followed the old Carrolton canal that was actually a waterway when MidCity and Faubourg St. John was THE city and the connection followed the lake to the bayou up the canal to the turning basin on Basin Street. David Waggoner spoke to the group about the work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Dutch (who have been teaching us New Orleanians how to actually have a city that is on, under, beside water).
I left the group there, at the bayou, and rode home thinking in so few hours, I had learned about a comedian, my city, an acquaintance and her friend, who was adopted, and so many other things.