Why Must We Wait?

It’s difficult to not draw parallels between the government's response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the most recent reaction of officials to the oil spill that took place just last month, but I’ll try to contain myself.

New Orleans's fate hangs in the balance as we watch how the BP Horizon oil catastrophe unfolds. And so we watch, once more, the grave impact of a man-made disaster. And what is that we see? Yet another calamity that could have been avoided, yet another delayed government response, and yet another campaign to shift blame and assign culpability. But what does this amount to? What does it matter whose fault it is? Simple, it doesn't.

What matters is the fragile ecosystems that may be destroyed if, rather when, the oil comes ashore. What matters are the thousands of workers that have been displaced because Louisiana's coast has been shut down. What matters is the impending ruination of the wetlands that are vital in providing flood control, water filtration, habitats for fish and wildlife, and more. What matters are the animals that will die. What matters is the looming damage to the ecosystem, economy, and this glorious city's existence.
These are the things that matter. These are the problems that need to be resolved, and in the future, avoided.
From April 20th and on, rather from August 28th, 2005 and on, we have watched and we have waited. The oil spill is yet another "crude awakening." We can longer sit by idly as these disasters ensue one after another. Speak up, take action.
If in need of some motivation as to why you should help fight for the preservation of this great city and ensure that past wrongs are rectified listen to this awe-inspiring track by Flobots. Entitled “Stand Up”, featured on their album “Fight with Tools”, the song speaks to the government’s failure in New Orleans. A sneak peak of their sensational lyrics:

We still don't understand thunder and lightning/Flash back to when we didn't fund the dam//Didn't fund the dam levee? No wonder man/Now our whole damn city's torn asunder man/Under water but we still don't understand/We see hurricane spills overrun the land/Through gaps you couldn't fill with a 100 tons of sand

Their heart-wrenching chorus:

We shall not be moved/Except By a child with no socks and shoes/Except by a woman dying from a loss of food/Except by a freedom fighter bleeding on a cross for you

We shall not be moved/Except by a system that’s rotten through/Neglecting the victims and ordering the cops to shoot/High treason now we need to prosecute

And as if every other stanza wasn't inspirational enough, they conclude:

Stand up/ We shall not be moved/ Unless were taking a route we have not pursued/

So if you've got a dream and a lot to do/ Put your hands up and I'll copy you

- Raya

Check it for yourself!

THE FUNKY FRITTERS ARE PLAYING 2 BENEFIT SHOWS FOR HUBSPOT.NOLA and WATERPROOF SOUL!!! YEAH!!!

MAY 15th @ 9pm @ The Tea Lounge on Union St. in Park Slope

MAY 28th @ 10pm @ The Bitter End 147 Bleecker St.

GET A FREE GIFT!!!

RSVP with Sarah at heart.nola@yahoo.com and get a free gift when you come to the merchandise table! Or, bring this flyer with you and come to the Merch table!

May 13th @ 7pm
Hunter College
Thomas Hunter Hall room 105

Come join
Hubspot.Nola and Waterproof Soul
for a staged Reading of
BLOODY WATERS
written by Justin Carter
directed by Ethan Matthews

Stay for a discussion with the writer, director and cast.

Event is Free.

There will be Gumbo. Yeah.

A screening of the film
"Fouberg Treme; the Untold Story of Black New Orleans"
will follow.

MANY MANY THANKS to everyone who came out to our events this week!
Nadja, Doreshia, Chrisheena, Mark, Teon, Beatrice and Raya....you are my inspiration!
Thank you for all of your hard work.

New Events coming up:

May 13th- Staged Reading of "Bloody Waters" 7pm @ Hunter College TH105
May 15th- THE FUNKY FRITTERS deep fried jazz! location TBD
May 28th THE FUNKY FRITTERS deep fried Jazz! location TBD

Updates and Pictures soon to come!

Love,
Sarah Auerbach
Project Director
heart.nola@yahoo.com

Just a reminder: WE HAVE EVENTS THIS WEEK!!!

April 27: Film Screening and a Staged Reading!
12-5pm in TH105 @ Hunter College, 68th and Lexington!

April 28: Student Leadership Colloquium-
"A look at New Orleans Five Years Post Katrina"
1-3pm in 417 West @ Hunter College

7pm HUNTER JAZZFEST with the Funky Fritters Jazz Band!
TH105 @ Hunter College

We will be screening:

Trouble the Water

Fouberg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans

Annunciation Lives

THESE EVENTS ARE FREE! THERE WILL BE FOOD!
If you can't catch them, click on the links to see what they are about.

We also recommend reading:

1 Dead in Attic by Chris Rose

The World That Made New Orleans by Ned Sublette

Come Hell or High Water; Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster by Micheal Eric Dyson

Mission

DESCRIPTION:
Nearly five years ago Hurricane(s) Katrina (and Rita) ravaged the City of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf at large. Today, residents of New Orleans struggle to rebuild their lives while many are still unable to return home. The concept of HubSpot.NOLA is to create a network built to connect New Orleanians with the resources they need. Is an outlet intended to direct volunteers and advocates from anywhere towards New Orleans based organizations that they can work with. There are a tremendous amount of community and volunteer based non-profit organizations in New Orleans focused on rebuilding the city. Unfortunately, they are too often understaffed and underfunded. We aim to be the "central nervous system" that connects them together, and with supporters around the world. We are also developing a fund raising platform as well, to generate donations and sustain our business efforts.

GOALS:
For June 2010
1. We will have a well researched and detailed mock-up of our hard copy resource publication.
2. We will have an equally well researched and outlined plan for our website.
3. We will have developed out fund raising system.

For August 29th, 2010 (5th Anniversary of Katrina)
1. We will launch our website
3. We will have a prototype copy of our first newsletter.
4. We will have researched the process of incorporating as a Non-Profit organization and will have a well detailed plan for doing so.

Looking forward:
We will host monthly awareness events from September 2010 through September of 2011 and will continue to maintain our website as well as producing and distributing two separate issues of our Newsletter.

Contributed by Sarah Jampol-Auerbach

About Us

We are a group of eight Hunter College students who took the opportunity to go to New Orleans in early January of this year to help with the rebuilding efforts. However, we refuse to stop there. We aim to provide a resource network for New Orleanians and volunteers globally and become the "central nervous system" for New Orleans, La. community based organizations.
Contributed by Chrisheena Reices

Dedication Page

Dedication to Ms. Rose contributed by Mark Loercher

The 2010 Hunter Has Heart service learning project was both an enlightening experience and great success. 10 Students were selected for the trip based in New Orleans, a city with rich history, in January. Upon the students’ arrival, they were graciously welcomed into the Church of the Annunciation where they were provided with daily meals, shelter, and encouragement towards their projected task. This task was to help rebuild the home of Ms. Rose McCaskill. While the students were extremely motivated from the start, nothing could match the motivation that Ms. Rose herself provided. Making periodic stops to her home, she told the students the story of her travels and tribulations post-Katrina. She showed her gratitude right away as she greeted each of the students with a warm hug. She shared the grim details of what she had gone through just to salvage a portion of her former life. While she knew that things would never be quite the same, she carried on as she knew that there was no other choice. With tears in her eyes, she showed the students pictures of her home before and after the storm. Through these experiences, the students were not only provided with motivation, but a lasting bond. As the students and Ms.Rose spent more time together, this bond became increasingly stronger. What the students got out of this trip was not only a taste of New Orleans and a opportunity to help the community, but a lifelong friend and source of inspiration in Ms. Rose McCaskill. This Blog is dedicated to Ms. Rose McCaskill and to the people of the Annunciation Mission and New Orleans.

Welcome to Hubspot.NOLA.

Follow us! We mean to make a difference!