While thankful for the closure that comes from a ruling that engineering disasters in the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet and levees led to post Katrina flooding, I was taken aback when a CNN commentator conjectured that New Orleans residents are now looking for their "Pound of flesh."Our diaspora can be compared to many literary classics - the Illiad comes to mind, but not Shakespeare's Shylock character.
Fairness and revenge are two very different things. Having a foot in both worlds for four years has been challenging, but gratifying because I was able to be with my father during the last years of his life. Valuing that time is just one of the lessons learned from the journey home. Also Live and Let Die is on, with its French Quarter Second Line, and Baron Samedi's big voodoo scene is up next. It's the little things.
Here are 10 New Orleans signs of progress to be thankful for through our extended holiday season:
1) Our thriving movie industry. The Green Lantern moved its entire production from Australia to New Orleans, the Hollywood of the South, and Jonah Hex and Disney's The Princess & The Frog (pictured above) have wrapped production. Sandra Bullock's critically acclaimed The Blind Side just premiered in New Orleans. The true story written by local Michael Lewis is about a homeless teen taken in by an open hearted woman. Appropriately enough, Bullock's philanthropic efforts include adopting Warren Easton Charter School as it rebuilds.
2) Whodat Nation. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, riding a 10-0 record, has built a football field for Lusher Charter School with his Brees Dream Foundation. Uniforms donated from an East Coast school will help them field their first marching band in the fall, along with horns from our ongoing NOMRF instrument drive.
3) Rock and also Roll. The local recording industry is also thriving. Kermit Ruffins released Have a Crazy Cool Christmas just in time for the holidays (I'm predicting he'll be a breakout star in David Simon's upcoming HBO series Treme, currently filming). Artists choosing to record in New Orleans include Dave Matthews, REM, Eric Clapton and more. And hometown artist Lil Wayne is still a hit machine.
4) Homes for the Holidays. Many returnees now have a roof over their heads thanks to efforts like Make it Right via Brad Pit; Habitat for Humanity Musicians Village spearheaded by Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis; and the St. Bernard Project which won CNN's Heroes Award last year. This year's nominee, Derrick Taab of Rebirth, heads Roots of Music, an educational program for young musicians. Watch for him on CNN's Heroes - a well deserved honor.
5) Planet Preservation. A Matt Damon-funded rooftop garden, Global Green's Holy Cross project and Preservation Resource Center are among many planet friendly endeavors throughout New Orleans.Furnishing Our Neighbors repurposed donated four star hotel furniture through its ReDefine 8/29 program, and has provided thousands of pieces at $8 and $29 to returning residents. Eleven more hotels are lined up for next year.
6) Health Caring. More than 1000 patients with no healthcare options were recently treated during a day long clinic thanks to donations from viewers of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Last night musician and club owner Irwin Mayfield's Project 2010 hosted a benefit to help with medical expenses of Marva Wright, Lady BJ, Bo Dollis and J.D. Hill. The New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund was able to keep a Mardi Gras Indian Chief in life saving medication while he waited for his transplant. And the Musicians Clinic hosted a benefit last month for Dr. John's drummer, Herman Ernest.
7) Extended Holidays. Our holidays are never really over. Post New Year's Day is Mardi Gras when Dr. John will be King of Krewe de Veux, the first parade of the year. A true humanitarian, his Voices of the Wetlands has kept a spotlight on rebuilding our coastal barriers. After Mardi Gras the town gears up for the Jazz and Heritage Festival, which inspired its message board Threadheads start a nonprofit record company. They also recently donated $10,000 to Silence is Violence, a coalition of citizens demanding increased safety.
8) Beam Us Up. The tech field is booming with companies like KoDa which utilizes social networking in a client's job search, WorkNola which helps those relocating to New Orleans and those already home a way to explore and apply for local job openings online, Evacuteer which has developed a network to train those willing to help during an evacuation, and Launch Pad New Orleans offering techies the chance to co-work.
9) Cooperation. In a polarized nation, an era of bipartisanship was kicked off with Joseph Cao's brave healthcare vote, the governor's visit to the White House State Dinner this week and James Carville and Mary Matlin taking up residence in The Big Easy. Cooperation can lead to accomplishments like Rep. Neil Abramson shutting down the Katrina Cottage program because not one cottage was ever delivered.
10) Last But Not Least, Accountability. The Huffington Post's own Derek Smalls, err, Harry Shearer, and Levees.org have been keeping the faith for four years that accountability would come through after all that we lost in the levees failure. Their faith and dedication has started to pay off. This list is my effort to show just why New Orleans residents, both home and displaced, are grateful to hometown heroes and humanitarians, friends and family in this season of thanks.
Follow Karen Dalton-Beninato on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kbeninato
