Last spring break, 17 members of the WSU Young Democrats went to work for Habitat for Humanity. We lived and worked in the Upper 9th Ward, working in a place called Musician's Village. It is just that; a place for musicians of the historic New Orleans to live together, gather strength from one another and offer solace in a time of need. We met a few musicians who were living in the area, and they were extremely thankful for the work everybody had done for them.
It was an amazing trip. Besides being able to see all the progress that had been done, however, we saw all that still remained. Driving through the lower 9th ward, the place worst hit by the broken levees, was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Seeing empty lots where homes used to be, or the ruins of the houses yet to be torn down, was one of the most devastating things I had ever seen. We were there more than a year after the floods - but from the look of things, it could have simply been a matter of weeks.
The spirit of the city, though, was what stuck with all of us even after our trip home. The people refusing to be beaten by nature, or the failure of men, are an inspiration to us all.
