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In New Orleans, Black and Brown Rebuild Lives Together NEW ORLEANS--In this injured city, a lot of people have lost more than just their homes and belongings. In a way, they have lost a piece of their lives. One would think that in a time of disaster the government would come to the aid of its people -- young children left without homes, grandmothers left to live out their last days in a strange place. But instead, it is Latino immigrant workers who are helping piece back together a predominately black city that the government has forsaken. The Latino presence in New Orleans pre-Katrina was miniscule, barely 2 percent. Now, an influx of Latino workers is changing the city's demographics. It is estimated that 100,000 Latinos have moved in around the area. Many have come to extend a helping hand and to find work. I am visiting New Orleans nine months after Katrina, but a lot of people are just now making an effort to rebuild their homes -- many of them without any of the promised aid from any government agency. Most families who can't wait for assistance any longer are financing their reconstruction with their savings. Almost all of the people I interview are African-Americans and have been living in New Orleans for most of their lives. All have Latino workers, both "legal" and "illegal," helping them rebuild. Most of the workers I speak with are Latino, but not necessarily Mexican. In fact, a majority are from South American countries, and some from the United States. Many of them came over legally through the aid of private contractors who wanted them to work a number of jobs. And any job is up for grabs, from janitorial work in hotels to rebuilding the hotels. The workers do it all, and they do it with pride. They tell me they are proud to be able to help out people who have been hit with such a big disaster. Ivan, a 23-year-old worker, came over from Bolivia to escape a desperate situation. He says that now his life waiting for him back home looks a lot better, due to the fact that he now has money to build a new home and provide for his family. In a way, he left a personal disaster to arrive in a place of public disaster, and will soon return to a newly rebuilt life. I see a lot of this among the workers. They aren't just rebuilding the city, but rebuilding their own lives. In the meantime, they call hotels homes, sometime up to five people living a one room for up to a year. Carlos Corona came over from Houston, Texas, to help with the rebuilding. "I understand that the city is in need of great help, and I can help with the skills that I know," says Corona, originally from Mexico. He brought a lot of his friends with him, and as a team they work quickly because they understand that every day that passes is one of great importance to the people of New Orleans. "The people of this city have been very appreciative for the work that we do," Corona says. "I only wish the rest of the country was like this." Derrick Johnson is one of the appreciative residents Carlos is speaking about. Johnson is a multiple homeowner whose houses were destroyed by Katrina. He speaks to me outside of his two-story home as it is being repaired by nine immigrant workers. I've heard stories of tension between the local black community and the Latino work force, so I ask Johnson how he feels about the new immigrant workers. "I feel that the immigrant workers are saviors sent to help the people of New Orleans get our lives together," he says. "They come and work hard and work fast. They know how to work and just really want to help out." In a city that in many ways now resembles a Third World country, I see nothing to support the claim of conflict between black and brown. On the contrary, again and again I hear how thankful the African-American community is for the quick response of the immigrant workers after Katrina hit. Part of the support coming from residents is a recognition that sometimes the Latino contractors are working in harsh conditions for little compensation. Guy Phillips, a resident of New Orleans for eight years, says that he is thankful for the mainly immigrant work force, given the harsh stories of mistreatment he has heard. "I know that the workers are getting paid far less money than U.S. workers, and have to put up with a dangerous environment," Phillips says. "But they are still working hard to get our city normal again, so I give them a lot of respect." Many residents like Phillips waited for government assistance in the rebuilding, but it never came. New Orleans was once a center of world culture, a place where people could come and see old fashioned living and experience good food. Now a trip to New Orleans will show how disaster can change the social structure in even the most powerful of nations. The aftermath, however, is not all tragedy. There is a feeling of unity, in particular among blacks and Latinos, people who are not even necessarily from the same country and yet are working together. With the ever-present possibility of more hurricanes hitting New Orleans, we can only pray that the bond that all of those different cultures have formed will hold together, even if the levees do not. Read Other New Orleans Nine Months After Coverage: A City Divided New Orleans 9 Months Later
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