Crawfish Boil

When I woke up Sunday morning, I never anticipated we'd be invited to a Crawfish Boil that afternoon. It was a great way to end the first 3 days of (re)mapping Gentilly neighborhoods. Much thanks to Gwen H. and family!

Last Friday through Sunday were just the learning-curve days for the student team, yet they mapped 20% of Gentilly (an area that I think is about 8 square miles wide). For the most part, they did it themselves and with the help of residents Becky R. on Saturday morning and Claire S. all day Saturday and on Sunday morning. Four neighborhoods were completed - Virgil Park, Burbank Gardens, Fillmore Gardens, Edgewood Park - and a fifth started - Lower Gentilly.

There was an emerging emphasis this weekend on documenting the needs for particular individuals we encountered while mapping, and performing followups to find and direct assistance.

I don't know if we are going to remap all of Gentilly again, or if that is necessarily the most relevant goal at this point. More importantly, I see us laying the groundwork for more efficient and sustained aggregation and communication of local needs. In many ways, simply remapping Gentilly in the next 7 days would be a much easier goal.

The students get the day off while I'm shifting gears today towards the Post-Katrina Economic Development Summit. We'll be back on the streets on Tuesday.