Alan Gutierrez

Is this that stuff they call stucco?

When people look at New Orleans online, they see festivals, St. Charles and the French Quarter. This is because, most of the photographs taken of New Orleans, and subsequently shared online, are taken by tourists. There are the adventurous and artistic sorts that live in the Marigny and Upper 9th Ward for sultry favors, but that is a neighborhood that is gentrifying, not recovering, per se.

It is a case study in the 20/80 rule.

The 20% of neighborhoods that was survived the flood are taking 80% of the photographs.

For those Americans that participate in social media, who search the web to see how things are doing, New Orleans looks fine. Everyone is wearing beads and watching parades.

Take pictures of your neighborhood, so that people can see the 80% that is suffering a slow and mismanaged recovery. I know that it is difficult to take pictures of people, but pictures of people are important. Folks can see that we do not spend our days in beads.

This is how it is done. I walk with the camera out. I take pictures conspicuously. When I walk past someone, I say “Hello. How are you?”. “Fine. How are you?” “I’m fine. Just out taking pictures.”

There is plenty to talk about with your neighbors. You talk about the Road Home Program, ask if part of their house was stolen and sold for scrap, talk about contractors, or ask what businesses have returned in the area. Ask them if they are active in their neighborhood organization, or if they even know that they have one.

If you have a neighborhood organization, hand out a card or flyer.

Oddly enough, I’m part of the problem. I live in the Sliver by the River, in a neighborhood that is and was high and dry. When I take pictures of the recovery, I have to travel to do so.

I left City Council Chambers yesterday to take a walk with my camera. I ended up in Mid City.