Walking the walk in New Orleans

By Judy Scott

The continuing disastrous situation in New Orleans has been described as a national disgrace. Two years after Hurricane Katrina, large parts of the city are still in ruin. University teacher and activist Tanya Gulliver has decided to not only keep her students informed of the situation, but make them a part of the solution.

Tanya, self-described as queer, conducts workshops in Hamilton, Toronto and Guelph on topics including housing, homelessness, advocacy, poverty, civic engagement, community development, gender/trans issues, sexual orientation and homophobia. For five years she has been teaching a course at Ryerson University on Homelessness in Canadian Society.

In an exclusive interview with Dorothy’s Closet, Tanya describes what action she is preparing to take with her students: 

Dorothy’s Closet: We understand you are taking a group of students to New Orleans in May for two weeks. How did this come about? Is this a 'first' for you? Do you have firm dates yet?

Tanya Gulliver:  Since Hurricane Katrina we have discussed the difference between a "natural" and human made disaster. Six months after the hurricane a friend of mine went to New Orleans and she began coming in to talk to my students about her experience. Students began asking whether we could organize a field trip but it never seemed to get much traction with the administration or the timing was never right.

This year it all finally seemed to click and come together. The administration asked me to write up a proposal that explained what the course would look like, what it would involve etc. They realized there was a similar field trip course to Cuba and that this course could fit under that course classification as a separate section. As it turned out that class didn't get enough students but mine did.

I travelled to New Orleans in October for the first time, and then again in February. I was also recently accepted into the PhD program in Environmental Studies at York University (I have been working on my Masters there since September, 2008). My PhD will focus on how different communities were impacted by the hurricane and how various socio-political factors played into those impacts. It's based on a methodology developed by Eric Klinenberg in his research on the 1995 Heat Wave in Chicago. So travelling to New Orleans will soon be a regular part of my life.

It's the first time I have taken students on a lengthy field trip; we make a field trip to a shelter each year but that's only a couple of hours. We will be going for the first two weeks in May; classes have already begun for preparatory work.

DC: What school are the students from? How many students are we talking about - males and females. How did you choose them? By skills, or interest, or enthusiasm?

TG: All of the students are at Ryerson University but they come from a variety of courses including Social Work, Urban Planning, Nursing, Nutrition etc. There are about 25 students and the women outnumber the men about 3:1.  Students attended an orientation session or learned of the program from flyers. Each student filled out an application explaining their knowledge of New Orleans, their understanding of race and class (and how they interact), and what they could bring to the program. They were all so keen and excited about the trip that I just couldn't say no!! Seven of the students have previously or are currently taking my course on homelessness so they have a good understanding of New Orleans and the issues that residents have faced. One of the students attending is an American studying in Canada who wants to give back to her fellow citizens because she is ashamed of the way they were treated.

DC: Where will they be staying while down there? What exactly will they be doing - construction, clean-up, painting, etc.?

TG: The students will be working in two communities - St. Bernard Parish (which is next to Orleans Parish) and the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans. In St. Bernard Parish they will be working with the St. Bernard Project and staying in a house that a couple had renovated and rents out to volunteers. In the Lower Ninth we will be working with Common Ground Relief and staying in two of their volunteer housing locations (just a block or two away from each other!).

We'll start with a weekend in New Orleans (May 1st). This will include a private four-hour tour I have set up with Grayline that will include a tour of the city and will also explore the areas impacted by Katrina. They will also have some free time to explore the city. Then we'll go to SBP; the housing there will be crowded but it’s in decent condition. We will work there from Monday morning to Friday. I haven't yet decided whether we will go back to a hotel in New Orleans between the two work projects - it will depend on funds. The next week we'll be in the Lower Ninth where housing conditions are cramped, and a little bit...let's say frat boys house party combined with a hurricane ;-)

Mostly students will be working on construction and painting. They will be trained and able to work quite quickly. Students will break into small groups with a couple of leaders who are trained long-term volunteers. If there is a need students may be gutting houses (most houses are gutted already). They also may be doing lawn care - mostly cutting grass. Each student will also spend a day working on Wetlands Restoration (with Common Ground Relief) (their website has been attacked recently so the wetlands part isn't working).