[Imc-katrina-convergence] Arizona Food Not Bombs and Indymedia in Louisiana

[jessica]

Hi everyone,
Below is an email sent by Walt, who is one of the two Arizona indymedia 
reporters who joined the Tucson Food Not Bombs bus traveling to New Orleans. 
Links to their posted story/photographs are below. Check for updates at: 
www.arizona.indymedia.org <http://www.arizona.indymedia.org>.
 --
I made the decision a last week to travel to the south with some
friends on an old school bus retrofitted with a small kitchen and
packed with over a ton of food and supplies to bring some warm meals
into communities that desperately need any kind of help. Our group is
part of an organization called Food Not Bombs - which has been working
for over 25 years to feed homeless and needy people in cities all over
the world.

We first drove to Houston where we began to get some information as to
where we could be the most useful. After weighing some decisions, we
decided to head towards Baton Rogue, where I was able to call up a
friend and secure a place to crash.

As it turns out, this friend is working at a small non-profit
environmental organization and they had already been bringing supplies
out into some far-fetched communities. They were grateful for us to
arrive and let us use their office to being coordinating our own
activities. The world is full of amazing people...

Today we were able to finally serve our first meals. We got word that
over 100 truckers were basically just sitting around in an old Target
parking lot, waiting for orders to take water and food into the areas
that need it. The truckers, all contracted by FEMA, haven't had food
brought to them and are basically stranded with nothing but an Exxon
across the street (the Target is closed, so no food there...) They were
extremely grateful for our warm meal of beans, rice, chili, watermelon
and apples. Many shared frustrations with they way things were being
handled. They all knew people needed the water and food they had, but
couldn't do anything but sit there.

After spending a couple hours with them, we drove to the River Center,
which is Baton Rouge's convention center where a few thousand refugees
are being sheltered. We arrived an hour before their 10:00 pm curfew,
so we caught people as they trickled back to re-enter. The security
line to get into the building was 2 hours long. The food they were
receiving was mostly fast food and junk food - nothing healthy or
fulfilling. Children didn't have toys (we handed out some stuffed
animals).

People were frustrated, but calm. We heard stories from a few people
who lived in downtown New Orleans. We heard stories of people who spent
time crammed in the Super Dome. People fought back tears telling us of
their losses and the horrors they've been through. One man said that
tonight was the first time he's laughed in weeks.

The disaster in New Orleans is very real. The death and destruction is
real. The rapes, shootings, murder - it all happened. But the hope that
people are clinging to is also apparent. People want to return and
rebuild. Especially the people of New Orleans - they are proud of their
city and want to go back.

We have barely scratched the surface of the emotions here. On Monday,
we will embark on the next leg of our trip. We head to an ad-hoc aid
camp being set up by Veterans for Peace. Since there is so much red
tape that all the official agencies must go through, it is only the
small, grassroots groups that can really reach out the the people,
especially in rural communities. The red cross can't (or won't) do what
it takes to bring medical care to thousands - so it is up to us to do
it. While truckers with over a million gallons of water wait, we will
go out and cook food. While politicians fuss over who's to blame, we
will give children stuffed animals.

Three days into this journey, I already am feeling overwhelmed by the
scope of what's going on, but I'm also very energized and excited to be
here.

I will have very limited computer access for the rest of our trip until
I get back to Tucson next weekend, and cell phone coverage is still
spotty out here. But I will be in touch again later with a re-cap of
the trip when I get home.

For some photos and stories of what we've been up to so far, check out
my posts on Arizona Indymedia:
http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/30474.php
http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/30511.php
http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/30526.php

With love and solidarity,

Walt
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