I AM EXCITED FOR SO MANY REASONS:

1. New Orleans makes my learning and loving and hoping and giving (and taking! I want this culture to be a part of me) clocks click and tick and tock all these different crazy directions. I am captivated.
2. The Gulf South Youth Action Corps program is so full of passion and so dedicated to youth empowerment and social justice and every time one of the adults involved speaks I am inspired and excited and thinking really hard all over again.
3. ALL OF THE OTHER CORPS MEMBERS ARE SO SUPER NICE YIPPPEEE. And they're from all over the country! And from all different backgrounds! And they all want to be here! Maybe I will make real friends with one or six soon and then there will be pictures.

In short, I am totally stoked about this program and I can't wait to meet the campers (that's about a week away) and explore New Orleans in its entirety. I haven't seen much, but today I was blown away on our drive back from Ashé Cultural Arts Center (which was so cool! See description below) because we passed blocks and blocks of the low-income housing that's being demolished in this already impoverished and overwhelming homeless community. It was so terribly sad. I sat next to Dr. Tayari (spelling is probably incorrect), who is the GYAC program coordinator and a brilliant educator and philanthropist, and she explained some very basic problems with the city's infrastructure as we drove past. She also described New Orleans as a third world city operating with third world industry (or lack thereof). That is, of course, an incredible statement in and of itself, but it resonated with me especially because Dr. Tayari is so deeply involved in this community and its youth. I think that it had a special sort of truth to it since it came from the heart of a person who loves this city and its people really, really deeply.


In other news! The first real methods-contention was raised during one of morning training sessions today. One of the Corps members protested speaking as loudly and assertively to the campers as Dr. Tayari & Co. have recommended. She said she was uncomfortable screaming at youth who weren't doing anything wrong. This opened up the floor for discussion about methods of communication and how they differ depending on your race and class - a very interesting and constructive conversation, I thought. I'm really excited about reading and learning more about this as the program wears on.

Finally! We visited the ACAC - which I mentioned above - today, and it was like so cool. Not only did they feed us, but we got to check out some really incredible local African-American art and hear some "word art" (same as slam poetry? not sure) recorded right after Katrina. It was all very moving. I'm going to post pictures once I figure out how, but right now I want to type out the text from one of my favorite pieces in the center, called "SIFA Praise":

May we always remember those who have gone before Us;
May we be inspired by their vision and valor;
May their lives continuously remind Us
that service is more important than success;
that people are more important than possessions;
that principle is more important than power.
May whatever we do be shaped and molded by honesty, competence, and commitment.
May our children and our children's children carry forth with pride, the nobility of our history and tradition.
To the creation of all of Us, we dedicate our lives
to make this world better
and more beautiful.


Hell yeah!

On that note - miss you all a lot. All my love and hugs and big kisses over and over again from here to your respective countries!
Be safe and happy, muah muah etc