Mississippi Coast

I decided to take a drive up to Mississippi on Labor Day. I wanted to see the state’s coastline, which sustained the most damage from Katrina. I’ve been here awhile now and there was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to focus on the New Orleans area. Still, I felt it was important to at least see Mississippi’s coast. I know quite a few volunteers who have spent time up there, and have heard stories and descriptions, but just like greater New Orleans, words and pictures don’t do justice.

I got off of I-10 shortly after crossing over the state line and cut over to Rte. 90, which runs right along the shoreline. At this point I was about 12 miles west of Bay St. Louis. I ended up driving along 90 from there all the way over to Biloxi. It’s not that far, maybe about 35, 40 miles, but after originally thinking I’d just hang around and check out Bay St. Louis, driving along that long of a stretch allowed me to see more than I thought I would. I was glad that I did, too.

It’s not that the surroundings and scenery change all that much as you go along. In fact, if not for the bigger hotels and casinos that you see as you get close to and then into Biloxi – and there are some big ones there – it all looks pretty similar. Mile after mile of endless beach to the right, but they were pretty nice beaches. There were quite a few people out enjoying one of the last days of summer, although something tells me the entire Gulf Coast has plenty of hot, humid days left. And to the left, I saw a combination of open or abandoned land, often full of vegetation, of homes that were empty, homes being rebuilt, shops, and an occasional trailer or trailer park. None of it was ever cluttered, either. Things were always very all spaced out, maybe a house or plot of land and property every 500 yards or so. Clearly a good part of this stretch is not made up of the typical sprawling residential type neighborhoods but rather is a very relaxed, vacation-like setting with beachfront homes, hotels and businesses. Not cheesy, not like Daytona or Myrtle Beach, just a nice setting that happens to be on the beach.

The one consistent theme or sight: the damage and destruction. It was very clear as I made my way along 90 that this area had been hit hard and received a lot of damage. Two years later, and just as you’re struck as you enter St. Bernard or the Ninth Ward in Louisiana, you know driving along this stretch that the destruction was significant.

I don't know enough about the Mississippi Gulf Coast to really understand why I saw what I saw. But I do know this, like New Orleans, there's a problem if two years later that kind of destruction is still so evident.

My Dad's Visit

My father made a visit to the New Orleans area for a couple of days late last week. He drove over from Florida, bringing a car full of clothes, books and toys he gathered from their home in Florida and from a client of his. We fit in quite a bit over the two days he was here, making stops at three different schools, a half dozen or so homes, a couple of stores, the volunteer camp I used to live at, a recreation department office. We also squeezed in dinner and drinks in the city with my roommate, who is a native of the New Orleans area.

He was worn out by the close of Day 2. The heat and humidity, combined with constantly getting in and out of the car, meeting a bunch of people and hearing a number of pretty intense stories, made sure of that. But, as he put it, the effort was well worth it. We spoke about it the night before he left, as we recounted all we did while eating some dinner in his hotel. His entire perception of the situation here has changed, and I think there are a few things that especially stood out.









People very much want to talk, to tell and share their stories. If they meet someone new, someone from out of town, it just really helps to talk to that person and tell their story. It's therapy for them, and you really can see why. Two years is a long time to build frustration and any chance they have to get things off their chest, well, it's a good thing. My dad did lots of listening, but he was happy to and it was a big help in shaping his perspective on things here.

He also was able to see that there are lots of good people here, residents and volunteers. The greater New Orleans area is an amazing place to meet people these days. Years from now when I'm long gone from staying here, I know I'm going to look back and remember a lot of the people I met and was able to work with, to help.

Most importantly, my dad was able to see that the post-Katrina era is not just a case of the poor sitting around and waiting for handouts. Far from it. Yes, some of that exists, but presuming that that's what most people here are doing is not only inaccurate but a disservice to an entire region of people. The struggles that still exist in this region two years after Katrina rolled through involve all kinds of people from all walks of life. Young, old, hard-working, professional, public servants, kids, dads, moms, daughters, teachers, life long residents, the list is endless.

His two days here had a big impact on my father, and he's intent to take those messages home and share them with more people, which is another reason all that activity over two days was more than worth it.