“I’m worried about all the people in New Orleans.”
- Fats Domino – one of the biggest promoters of the New Orleans Rhythm & Blues Style… recently celebrated his 86th birthday. (Fats Domino on YouTube)
Morning Sun
Louisiana has a State Ranking of ‘46’ in regard to homeless children in the state according to the Louisiana State Report
What jumped out at me were these high numbers: (a large increase due to Katrina) Of the 300,000 children living in poverty in Louisiana, 68 out of every one hundred (68%) are homeless.
Age and Race/ Ethnicity: Sixty-nine percent of Louisiana’s children living in families with incomes below the poverty level are Black, non-Hispanic, 28% are White, non-Hispanic, and two percent are Hispanic.
An overview and perspective on these state reports is worth reading if you are following child homelessness across the country.
I met a woman today near Ocean Springs, MS, who was in her fifties and was on the verge of tears after I simply made a warm greeting. She is so upset in regard to the oil and said: “What are we going to do? It is so terrible.” She went on to say that her son works for BP and his job involves underwater danger every day. She is sick with worry over his work as what he is doing now is not safe. She is feeling for everyone, especially the fishermen.
I met a man in his sixties who with five friends were biking to Key West, Florida and then onto Alaska to raise money for Kids’ Charities.
Lead Rider
And then there was Beverly in La Place, LA who was more my peer group age and would like my car. I certainly understand as she says she doesn’t have a car, not even a bike and would like to drive to some other place. We talked about the cost of apartments or rooms in Los Angeles and I answered her questions about the cost of gas, food, clothes. Beverly had a nice sense of humor; her wish was very real but in her eyes her reality is working against her. As always, I told her to keep what she wants for herself in her mind – do not give up on her dreams but be clear what they are. I liked talking with her – she had a lot of wisdom of her own.
Small Casino
A positive note to leave Louisiana with is the work of Brother Joe and the whole team in New Orleans who work with young people in nine month programs. If you have time to read only one link, I hope you will choose this one: http://reconcileneworleans.org.
If you go to New Orleans be sure to go to the cafe for a meal. For some reason, this gives me much hope and an uplift that every day to know this is happening in a city still suffering from Katrina; going through another tragedy and for these young adults, poverty and gangs surround them as they take steps to direct their own lives. This is huge because it is not just the young people but all who they will influence including their own children right on down the line.
Cajun – a noun: A Louisianan descended from Acadian immigrants from Nova Scotia (‘Cajun’ comes from ‘Acadian’).
