NEW ORLEANS "The Road Back Home: Environmental Justice and Wetland Restoration at the Lower 9th

"The Road Back Home: Environmental Justice and Wetland Restoration at the Lower 9th" Directed by Reynaldo Morales Produced by: Pouria Baladi, Linda Pfeiffer, and Reynaldo Morales "What would happen if another hurricane as devastating as Katrina hits New Orleans again? How it will most likely affect once again the most impoverished, underprivileged and marginalized communities? Who live in these communities? What happened with the reported 50 billion dollars in federal assistance directed to the "reconstruction" of New Orleans on areas that were not even impacted by Katrina? What is the vision of leaders and activists from community based organizations, community members, volunteers, land stewards and advocates that are assisting the Lower Ninth Ward, the most devastated community after Hurricane Katrina, still in ruins 5 yrs. after the facts? What is the status of the federal and state assistance for its reconstruction? Are race and historical marginalization key factors of this disparity and a case of environmental justice? How the levees that were built to protect New Orleans only impacted this predominantly African American community? What is the real impact of the 2010 BP Oil Spill in the Gulf Coast and what it means for New Orleans and Louisiana's future? How this is connected to the "lost of the size of a football field of wetlands every 30 minutes" in the State of Louisiana? What will be the future of the fishing community in the Gulf Coast, and to the marine and aquatic species, as well as marshes and vegetation that serves also as surge protection to natural disasters? How this is connected to the action for wetland restoration of the Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle in New Orleans and the Lower Ninth community? What is the role of environmental and sustainable development for the future? What the role of research universities, environmental agencies, educational and community organizations to face an uncertain future and assist under-served communities? What is the hope for the future? " Produced for the University of Wisconsin Madison, UW NOLA Project and Department of Geoscience. 33 minutes HD Executive Consultants: Herb Wang - University of Wisconsin Madison, Department of Geoscience Wilma Subra - Louisiana Environmental Action Network (1999 MacArthur Fellow & 2011 Global Exchange Human Rights Awards Honoree) Produced in June 2010. New Orleans and Grand Isle during the 2010 Louisiana Gulf Coast BP Oil Spill. Copyright University of Wisconsin Madison - UW NOLA 2010