Day 296: The Ninth Ward in New Orleans with Emergency Communities

In Miami tonight, I am reflecting on my long weekend in New Orleans. There is more to come, as I have a lot to say in regards to a fantastic day I spent with Emergency Communities, an interesting non profit that is doing some cool things down there.

But in brief, I will say that we happened upon this non-profit by chance, and could not have been happier with their "come as you are and with what you have" grassroots philosophy on volunteers. Specifically volunteers like me and Amalia, who have little tangible qualities to offer anyone.

We had a great day, learning about them and trying to not mess things up. However, the high point came when the coincidences that seem to follow Lara and me around this world reigned down supreme. I'd seen this one guy there the whole day, and knew he worked for the organization in some capacity because he spent a lot of time walking around purposely. He looked kind of older than me, and professional in a sort of uber hip "these-are-the-clothes-I-wear-to-do-the-work-I-do" kind of way.

Perhaps I hadn't talked to anyone in like thirty minutes or something, because when he came up to me it was as if I momentarily forgot how (sometimes when you first wake up in the morning it can feel like this). So when he asked my name, and then started repeating "Claire" several times with awkward pauses, I just sort of stood there, thinking he was having trouble pronouncing it.

However, Amalia, who was watching the whole thing, said it was pretty evident to any breathing homosapien that he was cuing me for a last name. Which I finally provided, to which he said something dramatic like "I knew it!" and then he told me he was Mischa Byruck, and we went to middle school together back in California, and that he had started this organization when he came down right after Katrina.

It was really strange, needless to say, and I got really breathy and glowy and anxious kind of like I did when I ran into Spencer, the kid I studied abroad in Chile with, on the streets of Beijing.* So then the day kind of changed, and we heard all about Mischa, and his life since he was 13, and how we could find ways to write about Emergency Communities and the awesome work they are doing. We took lots of video as well, but here is just a start.

This is a staff member, Laura, showing me and Amalia around the lower ninth ward - specifically Tennessee street, which borders where the levy broke.



*To keep things interesting, it turns out Mischa studied in Chile the same year as me and Spencer and KitchenAssassin.