And I'm Spent...

The opening for the exhibit was last Sunday. More people came out than expected because of the rain. Jazz bands played and we ate some red beans and rice. The whole time it was raining! The experience came full circle.

The night before we stayed up late hanging the installation. An artist, Amy Yo, gave us juice, chips, salsa and other snacks to keep us going. Other New Yorkers came by to help however they could including a music teacher, Dominican fishermen, interns from Pratt, friends of Takashi's, a clothing designer and many more. It was the same way in New Olreans. People saw us working and just wanted to help. Takashi has a good spirit. People see that. The work is important and it's keeping the dialogue going about what still needs to get done in the areas affected by the hurricane.

In the news in New York, I saw reports of major flooding in Long Island. Cars were stuck in traffic for hours, some were stalled in rising waters. Then I heard the someone say, "If a hurricane hit imagine how much worse it would be..." And then it hit me. It could have been here, it could have been Florida, it could have been the Carolina's. The damage that was felt in New Orleans and Mississippi could have been on any coast. It was chance. Maybe people see how vulnerable our places are to the forces of nature. We see how the government reacted in New Olreans and we wonder if that could happen to us. Will we be forgotten, left without resources. This event went beyond socio-economic status. Rich, poor, educated, illiterate, white, black...everyone was affected in these regions.

I heard many people in New Orleans talk about the wetlands and how the dissapearance of them directly affected the intensity of the damage from the storm. I want to read more about this because I think it's important to know. I've learned many things about nature and human nature, about the ability for people to persevere no matter if it means picking up and moving to a new city or staying and starting over again. To be able to face the unknown without a footprint to guide you - to me that is brave and noble. It isn't always a graceful struggle, but I've seen what people are able to endure and overcome. This summer...I was inspired.