| African American Leadership Project
KATRINA ANNIVERSARY; HANDS AROUND THE DOME
SATURDAY,
AUGUST 29, 2009
1pm to 3:30pm
PRESS RELEASE:
PROGRAM TO CONSIST OF A CEREMONY AND PRESENTATIONS ON THREE ISSUES :
- HOW SAFE ARE THE LEVEES
- STATUS OF THE RECOVERY
- LESSONS LEARNED FROM KATRINA/GUSTAV: ARE WE READY FOR THE NEXT ONE
A PRACTICAL FOCUS WILL ALSO INCLUDE A DIALOGUE ON BUILDING THE COMMUNITY AGENDA FOR NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS AND BEYOND.
NEW ORLEANS - The African American Leadership Project (AALP) will resume its Hands Around the Dome Ceremony (HADC) on Saturday August 29, 2009 at the City Council chambers from1 pm to 3:30 pm. . The HADC is one of the events initiated by the AALP to remember the suffering associated with the Katrina disaster and to also affirm hope and possibilities for the future. It was first conducted in 2006 and 2007, but was cancelled in 2008 because of Hurricane Gustav. The HADC is regarded by many citizens as one of the most important events held during the annual observance of the Katrina disaster.
The AALP Project Manager Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika recently commented that, "the HADC is our way of remembering the human suffering and pain caused by the unexpected flooding of the city, the human errors and the failure of the emergency response system to adequately respond to the crisis. He went on to add that, "despite the suffering, loss of life and property, the HADC is also a way of affirming the resilience of the people of New Orleans and their hope for the future. In addition to a ceremony, the program this year will discuss three issues: 1) how safe are the levees 2) what is the state of the recovery and 3) what did Katrina/ Gustav teach us about our readiness for the next one.
This year's program will consist of a ceremony and presentation of the issues from 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm, followed by an open dialogue from 2:15 to 3:30 pm on. Building a Community-based Agenda for next year's elections and beyond. The dialogue is dedicated to all those who suffered losses, and to the resilience of the people of New Orleans as they continue the recovery. This will be the first of several future dialogues intended to develop a consensus on a community and policy Agenda as a tool to guide decisions on future direction and leadership. 
Following the dialogue, participants will march from the council chambers to the Superdome, and circle it in a hand held Vigil of reflection and remembrance.
Help us to remind the country that New Orleans is still in recovery and that folks are still struggling to return. A disaster can happen anywhere at any time. So Rebuild New Orleans and Rebuild America.
This years HADC events will be jointly sponsored by the Concerned Clergy and Laity of New Orleans, and other community organizations. All events are open to the public. For more information, contact the AALP at 713-376-3364, or leave a message on our web site at www.aalp.org.
The AALP is a broad based nonpartisan network of community, religious, business, and academic leaders, organizers, activists, planners and citizens focused on policy research analysis and advocacy, strategic dialogue on critical issues, community planning and neighborhood development, and consensus based Agenda building. It has been in existence for 5 1/2 years.
For more information, contact AALP Project Manager, Mtangulizi Sanyika at 504-242-8353 or 713-376-3364 / e-mail: wazuri@aol.com.
Mtangulizi Sanyika, AALP Project Manager / Gail Glapion, AALP Chairperson
A CITIZENS BILL OF RIGHTS IN REBUILDING THE CITY
The Right to Return
1. All displaced persons should maintain the "Right of Return" to New Orleans as an International "Human Right." A persons' socioeconomic status, class, employment, occupation, educational level, neighborhood residence, or how they were evacuated should have no bearing on this fundamental right. This right shall include the provision of adequate transportation to return to the city by the similar means that a person was dispersed. THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE DEPOPULATED OF ITS MAJORITY AFRICAN- AMERICAN AND LOWER INCOME CITIZENS, and must be rebuilt to economically include all those who were displaced.
2. All displaced persons must retain their right of citizenship in the city, especially including the right to vote in the next municipal elections. Citizen rights to the franchise must be protected and widely explained to all dispersed persons. The provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 should be examined and enforced in this regard.
3. All displaced persons should have the right to shape and envision the future of the city. Shaping the future should not be left to elected officials, appointed commissions, developers and/or business interests alone. We the citizens are the primary stakeholders of a re-imagined New Orleans. Thus, we MUST be directly involved in imagining the future. Provisions must be included to insure this right.
4. All displaced persons should have the right to participate in the rebuilding of the city as owners, producers, providers, planners, developers, workers, and direct beneficiaries. Participation must especially include African-Americans and the poor, and those previously excluded from the development process.
5. In rebuilding the city, all displaced persons should have the right to quality goods and services based on equity and equality. Disparities and inequality must be eliminated in all aspects of social, economic and political life. It should be illegal to discriminate against an individual due to their income, occupation or educational status, in addition to the traditional categories of race, gender, religion, language, disability, culture or other social status.
6. In rebuilding the city, all displaced persons should have the right to affordable neighborhoods, quality affordable housing, adequate health care, good schools, repaired infrastructures, a livable environment and improved transportation and hurricane safety.
7. In rebuilding the city, workers, especially hospitality workers should have the right to be paid a livable wage with good benefits.
8. In rebuilding the city, African-American should have the right to increased economic benefits and ownership. The percentage of Black owned enterprises MUST dramatically increase from the present 14%, and the access to wealth and ownership must also be dramatically improved.
9. In rebuilding the city, African-Americans and any displaced low income populations should have the right to preferential treatment in cleanup jobs, construction and operational work associated with rebuilding the city.
10. In rebuilding the city, the right to contracting preference should also be given to Community Development collaboratives, community and faith-based corporations/organizations, and New Orleans businesses that partner with nonprofit service providers and people of color. No contracts should be let to companies that disregard Davis- Bacon, Affirmative action and local participation. Proposed legislation to create a "recovery opportunity zone" should specifically include Community Development organizations and minority firms as alternatives to the no bid multi-national companies. Over the last 30 years, such firms have demonstrated their capacity to successfully build hundreds of thousands of quality affordable housing, and neighborhood commercials and businesses and service enterprises.
11. In rebuilding the city, priority must be given to the right to an environmentally clean and hurricane safe city, rather than the destruction of Black neighborhoods or communities such as the lower 9th ward. Priority must also be given to environmental justice, disaster planning and evacuation plans that work for the most transit dependent populations and the most vulnerable residents of the city.
12. In rebuilding the city, priority must be given to the right to preserve and continue the rich and diverse cultural traditions of the city, and the social experiences of Black people that produced the culture. The second line, Mardi Gras Indians, brass bands, creative music, dance foods, language and other expressions are the "soul of the city." The rebuilding process must preserve these traditions. THE CITY MUST NOT , BE CULTURALLY, ECONOMICALLY OR SOCIALLY GENTRIFIED. INTO A "SOULLESS" COLLECTION OF CONDOS AND tract home NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE RICH. We also respectfully request that the CBC initiate its own Commission to thoroughly investigate all aspects of the physical and human dimensions of the Katrina disaster.
AALP / NOLOC
The AALP is a 5-year-old network of about 50 New Orleans African-American community, business and religious leaders and representatives that focus on Agenda building, policy analysis, strategic dialogue and consensus building. Prior to the Katrina disaster, we had developed an Agenda of common interests to potentially guide future policy choices and community actions.
The NOLOC is the local branch of the Millions More Movement (MMM) that is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March this Oct 14-16 in Washington, DC. The MMM is dedicated to building a mass movement to foster justice, self determination and liberation for Black and poor people worldwide.
Since Katrina, we have all been scattered to many locations, but through phone discussions and e- mails, the broad outline of our response to the disaster is emerging. We wish to convey our initial position to the MMM and the CBC as a part of the national debate on the Katrina disaster, and in preparation for any proposed legislation. We also wish to discuss our views with the City Council and the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus at the earliest opportunity.
We are available for further discussion of the points in this document with the Council, the Caucus, the CBC and the MMM, and to offer testimony to any policy forum or Committee hearings that may ensue. We believe that the AALP, NOLOC and numerous other groups are articulating the same position: Rebuild a New Orleans that is more just and equitable for the citizens who were displaced, and eliminate racial and class inequities.
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