Prescott students head to New Orleans : AZ IMC

Prescott College students began their journey to New Orleans today to assist with relief efforts over the Thanksgiving break. Traveling in personal vehicles and leaving in three waves over the next few days, more than a dozen PC students will be working with New Orleans community members and activists from across the country to participate in grassroots relief work in areas including: food service and distribution, home repair and cleanup, tenants' rights and eviction support, animal rescue, and rebuilding "green."

The students raised money for traveling expenses and supplies through a variety of means over the past weeks, including bake sales, a raffle, an art auction, and personal donations. In doing so, they also sought to raise awareness about the ongoing situation in New Orleans in general and the difficulties local residents have had getting their lives back together in particular. The students worked in concert to establish contacts with area locals, map out a plan of action, arrange carpools and gas money, and secure accomodations. Students from the Introduction to Peace Studies class at PC have spearheaded the effort, but the students in the larger group represent the range of curricular areas offered at the college.

"Rather than going home or on vacation for Thanksgiving, these incredible young people have embraced the true meaning of the holiday by giving their time, energy, and resources to help people in real need," said Randall Amster, professor of Peace Studies and faculty liaison for the weeklong mobilization. "This is a fine example of what individuals are capable of when they work together for positive change, and it is the essence of what we try to do here at Prescott College in terms of combining experiential education with the values of social and ecological justice."

The group plans to stay through Thanksgiving recess and return for the start of classes on Monday November 28. They have reserved the Prescott College Chapel (220 Grove Ave.) from 6-9pm on Thursday December 1 for a workshop and community forum to report back on their experiences in New Orleans. Throughout the coming week, community members here in Prescott will be in regular contact with the students and will coordinate information flow and logistical support as the week progresses. Updates will be posted to AZIMC as communication connections allow.

Here's the latest on the Prescott College student mobilization to do grassroots relief work in New Orleans:

All three vehicles arrived safely and have been using the Ninth Ward Common Ground Collective as their base. There are approximately 300-400 people from around the country who have come to take part in the weeklong effort. With a total of 15 from Prescott, this represents one of the largest blocks of people from one place that are participating in this project. There are daily meetings and planning sessions, and a wide range of actions being undertaken, including specifically:

* house-to-house cleanup efforts, entailing trash removal, salvage operations, moving personal belongings, tenant support, etc.
* food service and distribution, working in particular at the Rainbow Family/Food Not Bombs kitchen in Washington Square Park
* resource & wellness center support, at places such as Mama Dee's operation in the Seventh Ward
* animal rescue work through local groups that are feeding strays, looking for homes for adoption, and administering vet care
* documenting patterns of services and/or lack thereof, including:
*taking pictures in places such as the Lower Ninth Ward that are still considered uninhabitable but are not being serviced as of yet;
*talking with the National Guard and other officials about why some areas still lack basic services while others seem almost normal;
*working with locals who are planning to continue the grassroots efforts indefinitely in the face of apparent official neglect

These are just a few of the snippets that the students have related so far. They are planning to stay through Saturday and return to Prescott in time for classes on Monday. Many have talked about going back to New Orleans over the winter break in December, and some are already working on a plan for a group Independent Study there in the January Winter Block. A few even mentioned a desire to move to New Orleans someday to be part of the long-range grassroots rebuilding effort! Mostly they just seem pleased to be part of this, and are learning new skills and developing new perspectives every day they are there . . .