Amy Koritz - Civic Engagement in the Wake of Katrina

This volume owes its existence to George J. Sanchez's willingness to come to New Orleans in the spring of 2006. That event, in turn, only occurred because Julie Ellison invited him to present at a September 2005 conference sponsored by Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Nor would I have met George at that conference had not Julie insisted that I attend it at her organization's expense since at the time I was holed up in rural North Carolina with my in-laws wondering if I still had a job. Once George arrived in New Orleans he recognized what none of us immersed in the urgency of daily life in a devastated city could see: there was work happening in New Orleans that needed to be shared. It was George who first suggested this volume, and it was his willingness to devote resources not available to me at Tulane to its completion that made it possible. Although Julie no longer directs Imagining America, she is coeditor of the University of Michigan Press series that has given this book a home and the experiences recorded within it a voice and audience. I owe the deepest thanks to both George and Julie. I would finally like to acknowledge the efforts of the contributors to this volume, all of whom took time away from the pressing needs of their families, communities, and organizations to meet, think, draft, revise, and respond to the requests of the editors with generosity and grace.

This volume would not have been produced without the vision, determination, and networks of Amy Koritz. Having been displaced with her family by Hurricane Katrina, Amy understood that her return to her adopted city and her job at Tulane University required a new reckoning with the struggles of others in New Orleans to rebuild lives, reconnect with communities, and rebuild the city. As part of that refashioning of her work, I was fortunate enough to be invited by Amy to come to New Orleans for Page viii the very first time to help make sense of the new Latino immigrant communities that were growing in that post-Katrina region. Amy was my guide, along with several of the contributors to this volume, to the city that once was and the city that was becoming New Orleans. What made that connection possible was the national network of scholars and artists that is Imagining America, and particularly Julie Ellison, who was its first and founding director. She encouraged us to make this connection and put together this volume to feature the voices of those at the forefront of the work of rebuilding in New Orleans. The new director of Imagining America, Jan Cohen-Cruz, has been equally as supportive of these productive networks and collaborations, and I am joyful for her voice in this volume. Three dedicated research assistants at the University of Southern California helped me put this volume together and worked tirelessly on its behalf. Adam Bush, Margaret Salazar, and Barbara Soliz are each up-and-coming scholars, and their dedication to academic excellence, civic engagement, and racial equity is what makes working with graduate students such a fulfilling experience. What I experienced in New Orleans, certainly as an outsider to the city but as a supporter of sustained civic engagement, is an unparalleled dedication to the people and communities in Louisiana by a host of academics, community organizers, and professional activists. They welcomed me into their world and allowed me to make my small contribution to their efforts. For their openness and willingness to share their stories, I will forever be grateful.

We would both additionally like to acknowledge the support of our families. Bob, Ben, and Daniel Gaston have never failed to provide for Amy a reminder of the really important things in life. Without their humor and understanding, patience, impatience, and willingness to pick up the slack at home, everything I do would have less meaning, less flavor, less laughter.

Debra Massey Sanchez, after much worry, allowed George to participate in a project in New Orleans just months after Hurricane Katrina and put up with all the travel and work involved in getting this project done with great love and support. She is a constant reminder to me of what true love is all about and why it is so important for each of us to find the person that makes life meaningful and passionate.