New Orleans Archives

I took this photo back in 2009 in New Orleans as part of a story on the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the levee system that protects the city. I was staying with a friend in Holy Cross, and shot this while walking around, so it was either there or in the Lower 9th. Two kids on bikes, about 10 yrs. old, started following me around. I started talking with them. One asked why I was taking photos. I explained the story premise. He then broke my heart when he said, “nobody cared about us then, why would they care about us now? Nobody ever cares about us.” I wish I could say my photos make people care, but they probably don’t. Maybe the best case is, over time they make people realize they should have cared, and might care more.

They boy’s name was Damarcus. Almost every time I was in town, I’d seem him pedaling around on his homemade “chopper” bicycle. He’d ride over and tell me about something he saw that I should go photograph. Often he’d pedal along behind me as a de facto tour guide, keeping up a running commentary the entire time. As a teenager, he started playing the tuba, which was nearly as big as he was. He broke my heart again six years later. His elderly neighbor needed a insulin prescription filled, so Damarcus walked up to St. Claude to the drugstore for them. Coming home, just a block from the store, he was robbed for the drugs. After giving them up, one of the men shot him four times, killing him instantly. All these years later, whenever I’m walking around in that neighborhood I’ll catch myself looking behind me, expecting to see Damarcus following me around on his bike, flashing his infectious smile.

I've thought about working on a follow up series for a long time. With all the recent damages from the tornado, adn Ida, the older effects might not be as obvious. Maybe I'll wander around a little over the next couple weeks and see what happens.