OneRouge Friday Community Check-In (Week 99)


Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in EBR, The Walls Project has been hosting weekly video calls with leaders of nonprofits, foundations, city government, and local businesses from a
cross the parish. The intention of these weekly community check-ins is to share information and resources to help the Baton Rouge community respond and recover from the pandemic. Weekly topics range from access to basic needs such as food, medical care, and safety to thought-leaders' insights on equitable opportunities for youth enrichment, nonprofit financial solvency, surge in unemployment, and the disproportionate impact on impoverished neighborhoods in regards to accessing fresh food.
#ONEROUGE Week #99
Climate Migration: The Human and Economic Impact of Climate Change
Meeting Notes Prepared by Samantha Morgan (Walls Project)
Quick Links: Notes, Zoom Chat, Community Announcements
Corey Miller (Director of Community Resilience, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana)
I work for a coalition to restore coastal Louisiana. We’ve been around since 1998 to raise awareness around land loss and the challenges around that. Me, personally, I’m third generation New Orleanian. I was fortunate to grow up on the water. My grandfather had a camp at grand isle. I have a personal affinity for the coast and what we have to lose. First and foremost I have a grudge with the article that was shared, but the term climate refugees, it over simplifies the story a bit and misses some key pieces of the background. People were living here on our coast and moving with the changes of the coast long before European settlement. When the Europeans settling here started tinkering with the systems. So what we have been dealing with for relatively recent history is those impacts, those decisions that were made to try and tame mother nature. Finally we’re hitting this conflux of messing with mother nature and it’s ability to restore itself and it’s exacerbated by climate change. Long before the influx of money, the tribe had been talking about this. One personal story I always keep in the back of my mind, 9 or 10 years ago I was involved with the Pointe-aux-Chene tribe. We spent a day on the boat and we were traveling down the historic bayous and all the sudden you see a giant cross. The chief at the time points out and says that’s the old cemetery. Then we keep going and you see another large cross and then he said that’s the old old community. It was a very visceral picture of retreat. The community was making decisions on their own to further move to more solid land. While this article is great, I have to point this out because without understanding this we jump to a place where we’re missing part of what’s occurred. The story is not unique. If you look at census data, you see that there has been a huge influx or retreat of our southern most communities. If you look at the population change you see huge numbers of the population shrinking. That’s people trying to get to safer ground. It’s worth understanding. It’s great that there are resources to help these communities, but we should be pushing for our government to embrace and find ways to facilitate families and communities when they want to and when they need to and keep our communities in tact. We do have a coastal masterplan in Louisiana. For once we’re not 50th in being proactive in climate change and what’s to come. There’s a bit of a misunderstanding that the coastal master plan as a plan to fight climate change. That’s not what it is. It sets a budget and is reanalyzed every 6 years. At the end of the day that plan is really about how much land we can hang on to. Our coast is going to continue to experience land loss. The plan buys us some time to hopefully allow the global community to figure out what we’re going to do about climate change. One thing everyone on this call can do is support the master plan. We have to do a lot more than to enact that plan. Within that master plan there are a lot of projects that try to rebuild previous footprints. It instantly has a lot of benefits. You’re rebuilding that marsh that’s degrading the march around us. It’s putting a band aid on a gunshot wound. There are key projects that start to repair that system. Over time these projects will compete with subsidence and sea level rise. Year after year when we would have our natural floods it would add sand and silt so it’s building vertically. We do an oyster shell recycling program. We get volunteers engages to get these back into structures that are eroding. Putting oysters on our shoreline creates this natural barrier and creates habitat for the whole seafood platter. Support the projects that are going to be the most sustainable. Pay attention to the master plan. And if you get a chance to volunteer or eat at one of the restaurants we collect oysters at, you’re doing your part.
Camille Manning-Broome (President & CEO, Center for Planning Excellence)
It’s really important the people of Baton Rouge understand what the future projections look like and how it will impact our community. This is a global issue and climate change impacts are going to be unavoidable. The current projections predict that around up to 1 billion people will be displaced by climate impacts by 2050. The Arab Springs, this conflict came from farmers no longer able to tend to lands. We see the same issues in central America with migration north. On a smaller scale we’ve seen this on Louisiana's coast. 2050 and 2100 are the biggest shifts. We are locked into certain scenarios that have been locked into for a long time. There are some unknowns about the arctic and glaciers. We have more study around space than the arctic. It’s not until the last 15 years that research has increased. If we want to lessen the impacts, which they’re going to be heavy, then we need to focus on reducing poverty. Every economic shift reveals long standing disparities around race, income, health and poor and marginalized communities baring the brunt. The global transition to a low carbon will bring problems. We can be a leader in this. I believe our footprint and future population is going to look different. The master plan is funded to the next 8 years, that BP money paying dries up in 8 years. There’s not a lot of resources identified to continue supporting that plan. That plan, although necessary we have one, there is a heavy focus on structural protection measures. These structural measures such as levies continue to have to be lifted. They are maladapted to climate change and that’s why you have countries focusing on nature based solutions and how to build nature based solutions that doesn't require hardened structures. Louisiana soil can’t take the weight of these structures anyway. Nothing that you read in any newspaper article is accurate in what has happened there. I have heard five different narratives. There are a lot of people who want to make money. The disaster world is a money making entity. It’s a challenging situation. It’s especially challenging when we’re caught in a cycle of catastrophic disaster recovery that’s only speeding up. What was normal yesterday no longer exists for us. We have to figure out ways to recover and adapt and reduce the impacts on the people. This has to be managed. The bottom line is that there’s no one in charge of this. At the federal level there’s no one with mission of climate regulation. That’s not within the mission in Louisiana in any state agency. What we see is bandaids based on disaster recovery dollars. People doing the best they can do, which don’t support what we need. They passed through the state. The state could make more adaptable action plans to assist communities, but politically we live in 2-4 year increments of decision making. As soon as there's a disaster, people have to be bought out immediately. What could that look like to provide them with options. A one stop shop for social services so they understand what all their options are. We did have wins after IDA to get regulations changed. We’re advocating for different measures. I don’t believe we will have large community retreat options available. It’s going to look more like buyouts. We recently did a buyout with 48 families. WE got 100% participation. For pre-disaster home evaluations and we worked with the state to have a more creative gap financing program. All of those community members would have flooded 6 times last year. Now there are 2000 trees planted at silverleaf. That’s in Gonzales.
The tipping point for wealthy people is higher. People with means, they leave. People without means are forced to stay and when their social structures they’re reliant on, When those start unraveling, there’s a whole domino effect that happens there. Lifting people up from poverty and giving people living wages. They need to focus on low to moderate income communities. In our new economy as we transition to more renewables and other workforces that we intentionally focus on lifting people up.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Camille - The department of defense has been one of the most vocal agents on climate change impacts and even put out a report about it during the trump administration. Humans have been adapting through so many changes but it’s going to continue to get harder in places like Louisiana but I do have a lot of hope and I look out at you and I think about the committed individuals and the passion and love you have. We’re all still here because we want to be in a place that has challenges so we can make an impact. We’ve developed a number of resources that are on our website and we have this fun what are you going to do, game. The more informed the people on this phone are about our watershed and flood risk and what’s happening in our community, the more voice we can have to make those changes. The mayor has been leading a storm water management plan. We are going to continue to get flooded here. There’s been a 20 percent increase since 2050.
There’s currently not a holistic plan for what the migration and population changes look like. But from my experience, we just did the downtown Opelousas plan. My conversations with the community south of Acadiana are all getting flooded and people are continually migrating. Opelousas has a ton of adjudicated and blighted properties, so we discussed, how can you start getting an inventory of assets and needs and market yourself to those areas that are flooding. How coil you position it to build character, quality of life, just like you want to plan a community so people want to be there. So people can have a high quality of life. You do all the things typical in a plan and you add to it wrap-around services for displaced people should they want to move into your community. How could DCFS add wrap-around services to individuals who have suffered trauma. Right now people are being strangled out and they’re only moving 1 town up.
I don’t see a plan to reduce poverty. I don’t see an entity, an agency, or a local group, government, anyone who says we need to reduce poverty, here are our goals, and then backed with actions. A plan backed by action is reality. I don’t know how we reduce poverty without a very intentional map forward on how to do that.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill is focused on four things. It gets down to resource allocation. This could be a once in a generational transformational opportunity in Louisiana. If we do this right, especially with billions at the table, we can have transformational change that shifts poverty and workforce. That money is going to get spent down in the next five years.
Pat Leduff - if we don’t increase the pay, and then hold everything else at a standstill, we’re just spinning our wheels. We increase our pay and then we increase our rents. How do we control that if we really want to get rid of poverty?
Morgan Udoh - Any one change we make will be rebalanced by the system. Capitalism requires constant growth. It’s going to take some really complex thoughts moving forward to rebalance that growth.
Zoom Chat
From One Rouge to Everyone 08:24 AM
BRILLIANT!
From Helena Williams to Everyone 08:26 AM
I’m going to Youtube search it
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 08:35 AM
Morning Friday fam!
From Me to Everyone 08:47 AM
And if you could please include your email address
From Corey Miller - (he/him) to Everyone 08:50 AM
email - Corey.Miller@crcl.org
Coastal Master Plan - https://coastal.la.gov/our-plan/2017-coastal-master-plan/
interactive plan viewer - http://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/masterplan/
From One Rouge to Everyone 08:51 AM
YAAASSSS!!!!!
So much that!
From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone 08:52 AM
Good morning everyone. I apologize because I will be leaving early because I am attending a real important workshop on Handling Strangulation Cases Effectively (DV) but I wanted to share this article I received this morning. Not on point with today's critical topic but I think it helps develop out some of our foundational work. https://harvardlawreview.org/2020/04/the-prisoner-trade/
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 08:52 AM
Good Morning
From Cheri Soileau to Everyone 08:53 AM
I have to jump onto another call. It's a great discussion and hate to miss the rest of it.
From One Rouge to Everyone 08:54 AM
Disaster Capitalism is going to be the death of us!
From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone 08:55 AM
That's a frightening fact!
From Casey Phillips to Everyone 08:59 AM
If anyone has questions or would like to speak on the work being done in the climate space please drop into the chat.
From One Rouge to Everyone 08:59 AM
Not only is there no entity dealing with this, most resources go to homeowners. That is nearly no considerations for renters.
From Me to Everyone 08:59 AM
Was silverleaf reported in the media? If so, can you share the link.
From Tristi Charpentier to Everyone 09:00 AM
From One Rouge to Everyone 09:00 AM
Development has been focused on areas that are currently vacant. Most of those areas were not built upon for a reason!
From Ava Smith to Everyone 09:00 AM
yeah for Gonzales, I'm missing the bird population
From Corey Miller - (he/him) to Everyone 09:02 AM
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
website - www.CRCL.org
CRCL's Oyster Shell Recycling Program
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=ae976afc10e6400d83f6a2b6ac24e0ed
as for relocation resources, i might have to get back to you on that. the sad / unfortunate thing is that as a state, we are not where we need to be in having support systems, programs, and significant action towards relocating vulnerable homes and communities. most of what has occurred is done at the burden of the individuals, and its those who have the resources to be able to afford to relocate on their own.
From Camille Manning-Broome, CPEX to Everyone 09:05 AM
We have developed free resources for communities to plan for adaptation www.cpex.org
https://indd.adobe.com/view/31a5da96-9fa2-4a77-8cab-67527094a2b7
From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone 09:05 AM
In 2019, I attended Stanford Social Innovation Review's NonProfit Management Institute and the conversation was all about climate justice and they encouraged those in nonprofit leadership to consider how the climate crisis impacts our populations. Similar to Camille's statement, the idea being that our populations are usually the first to experience adverse effects of any crisis. Climate is no different. Changed my entire perspective on how I contribute to the climate conversation.
From Camille Manning-Broome, CPEX to Everyone 09:06 AM
https://indd.adobe.com/view/6f190f66-ce47-474b-9de8-038bde6f859e
From Me to Everyone 09:08 AM
Add that to the potluck
From Danny Fields, CFRE to Everyone 09:09 AM
First time OneRouger. Great to be with all of you. Fascinating discussion today. Thanks, Casey, for organizing this and for inviting me.
From Casey Phillips to Everyone 09:09 AM
Welcome to ORC Danny!
From Danny Fields, CFRE to Everyone 09:10 AM
Thanks, buddy!
From One Rouge to Everyone 09:14 AM
OMG! I have people in Opelousas. I didn’t know anything about this.
From Pam Wall to Everyone 09:15 AM
The city/parish will be releasing requests for applications for several pots of HUD monies that focus on affordable housing. How can we 'step forward" and have high scoring applications include housing that is climate resilience? Who will start offering training for construction, realty, and development companies on climate resilient housing here, where we live and work?
From Camille Manning-Broome, CPEX to Everyone 09:18 AM
Adaptation is means based
We also do not have a State Agency focused on Housing
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:19 AM
That would be interesting if there is an array of means that bring about growth and not more poverty
From One Rouge to Everyone 09:20 AM
Our economic system needs poverty to operate.
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:20 AM
IMO the eradication of poverty is incompatible with capitalism.
From SK Groll to Everyone 09:20 AM
^^^^What Pepper said.
From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone 09:20 AM
"Adaptation is means based." is a statement worth sharing. So much to chew on there!!!! Can I share it!
From SK Groll to Everyone 09:20 AM
^^^^What Morgan said
From One Rouge to Everyone 09:20 AM
^^^ What Morgan said!
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:21 AM
How can you reduce poverty with out increasing the pay WITHOUT increasing the rent
From SK Groll to Everyone 09:21 AM
THAT questions @ Ms Pat
From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone 09:23 AM
Supremely import question, Ms Pat! And a shining example of why one intervention while helpful cannot address an issue sufficiently.
From One Rouge to Everyone 09:23 AM
^^^ so much that!
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:23 AM
Or increase pay and not demand that the employer NOT reduce the employee’s weekly hours
From Camille Manning-Broome, CPEX to Everyone 09:25 AM
+++what Pat said
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:27 AM
Food price increases are coming again. Btw
Not surprising
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:27 AM
$120 to fill my tank
Yes!!!
From Tristi Charpentier to Everyone 09:27 AM
Student workers are also restricted to 20 hours per week.
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:28 AM
I was making $8/hr in work-study back in 2009.
From Tristi Charpentier to Everyone 09:28 AM
That was also what I was paid as a student worker 20+ years ago
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:28 AM
“Feudalism” might be the word that you’re searching for.
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:28 AM
That’s right!!
From Ebony Starks | HAWF to Everyone 09:29 AM
That was my wage as a student worker as well. I had to balance that with a paid internship and keeping a high gpa for academic scholarship
From One Rouge to Everyone 09:29 AM
@Morgan, it might be
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:29 AM
A broken system
From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone 09:29 AM
Pat, the system is not broken it is working exactly how it was designed.
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:29 AM
Dropping this here as a resource for further Climate talks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Adaptation
From Camille Manning-Broome, CPEX to Everyone 09:29 AM
Thank you Casey and to everyone for your leadership. I'm here to work with you all anytime.
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:30 AM
Deep adaptation: a map for navigating climate tragedy https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/4166/
From Toni Quinn Bankston to Everyone 09:31 AM
From SK Groll to Everyone 09:31 AM
https://www.givepulse.com/event/287784
From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone 09:31 AM
I made $8 back in 2005 and that was an increase for working off campus. Also, by the time I graduated, I was making $15 an hour from 2 jobs which yearly was more than my mom who had been at her job for 20 years.
From Chelsea Morgan to Everyone 09:32 AM
Join us for a food share next Saturday, April 9th. 300 Top Boxes available plus opportunity to harvest at the Baton Roots Farm on-site and getting connection to additional food resources through Geaux Get Healthy.
From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone 09:35 AM
https://www.labash.org/ LABASH Student led conference on Landscape Architecture being held now. The Walls will be hosting a public art walk with the attendees tomorrow 3-4:30pm starting at the Mark Fresh mural on the Mississippi River levee wall downtown and moving up towards 6th and Laurel.
https://www.labash.org/schedule
From Chelsea Morgan to Everyone 09:37 AM
at the potluck
From Pat LeDuff to Everyone 09:37 AM
We will be making an intentional attempt to join forces with community leaders inn cleaning our entire City
From Verna Bradley-Jackson to Everyone 09:37 AM
April is Second Chance Month
Community Announcements
Toni Bankston - training a cohort of about 150 people across disciplines in baton rouge. When they graduate it will be an opportunity for the community. They can be done anywhere. They are going to be looking for places. This is going to be a free service because of the organizations making it possible. The center for mind-body medicine is in the Ukraine. We’re hoping to bring this work to that area. We are really excited about that. The same group providing the training in baton rouge is now in there.
________________________________________
Art walk tomorrow - We are leading LSU students on an art walk down the levee to the education mural.
https://www.labash.org/ LABASH Student led conference on Landscape Architecture being held now. The Walls will be hosting a public art walk with the attendees tomorrow 3-4:30pm starting at the Mark Fresh mural on the Mississippi River levee wall downtown and moving up towards 6th and Laurel.
We will be making an intentional attempt to join forces with community leaders inn cleaning our entire City
________________________________________________
Historic Lutheran Benevelent Society Cemetery
1735 Eddie Robinson Sr. Dr.
(Near McKinley Middle School)
Saturday April 9, 2022 8:30am – Noon
Sponsored by:
GEAUX BIG Baton Rouge LSU's largest day of service that unites LSU students and the surrounding Baton Rouge community.
Friends of City Park
TULIPA (The University Lakes Improvement Preservation Association)
Broadmoor Trinity Lutheran Church
Old South Baton Rouge Economic Redevelopment Foundation
South Baton Rouge Civic Association
Carolyn Coleman (District 10 Metro Council Representative)
NAACP (Benjamin J. Stanley Baton Rouge Chapter Founder 1929 buried in Lutheran)
Contact: JoAnn Thomas Cell: 225-241-4553 mof70802@yahoo.com
Lillie Gallagher 225-383-3270 lilliepetit@cox.net
Matt Thomas Cell: 225-485-6818 parrymattt@gmail.com
Limited equipment: Please bring personal rakes, clippers, lawn equipment etc