Blanche Dubois couldn’t have summed it up any better: “I have always relied upon the kindness of strangers”. That’s what I experienced this week, from not knowing my wonderful team members, to: Mo, our taxi driver who drove us to and from the site everyday, and took us through the Lower 9th Ward to see the notorious levee on the Industrial canal, now skirted by empty lots and ruins of foundations; Angelamia Bachemin, creator of the Jazz Hip Hop Orchestra and her sweetie, vocalist GinGin, who took Juliana and me on an extensive tour of their city, and brought us to Tomi, owner of the Juju Bag, who honored us by describing every special memory represented in her Juju Bag Cafe; Ben, our ever patient Habitat leader, teacher, and motivator; our other team members from NY: Chris , Christina, Michele and Catherine, there on their own on break from college; Stuart, who skipped out on his convention to come to work with us; Troy, with his brand new kidney, Rhonda, and Trina, locals who work on the weekend in the 9th Ward; Paul Scali our drummer and homeowner, who worked alongside us donning his straw hat; Trish, Barry, and Laverne, the kitchen staff at the French Quarter Chateau LeMoyne on Rue Dauphine: Trish brought her bench-sized cooler in on her day off so our picnic lunches would stay edible in the heat, Laverne who made us the home cooked breakfasts, Barry who got us coffee and gave me a hug on the last morning when I was so sad to be leaving; and all the unknown and silent partners who help in the huge rebuilding process.
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