Facing South headed to the Gulf Coast

Chris Kromm of "Facing South," the in-house blog of the Institute for Southern Studies:

Instituter Elena Everett and I are headed down to Louisiana and Mississippi this week for a first-hand look at the rebuilding process in the post-hurricane Gulf, as part of our coverage for Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch.

First stop will be be New Orleans, talking to leaders and activists about what's happening 'on the ground' and the political landscape. Then we'll be in Jackson, MS for Friday's 'Survivor's General Assembly,' organized by the People's Hurricane Relief Fund. Then it'll be back to NOLA to cover the December 10 'March on New Orleans.' (For more about the Assembly and March, visit here.)

The Reconstruction Watch was mentioned in this blog a few weeks ago. Kromm concludes:

So the post-Katrina South remains a test, for both political parties: Why the lack of leadership to make sure the Gulf isn't forgotten? What does that say about the priorities of our national leaders? It's also a test for the public: Will people realize that it will take a national response to turn Washington around, and demand better?

We're hoping that through fact-finding trips like these and projects like Reconstruction Watch, we can not only promote a more open and accountable rebuilding of the Gulf. We also hope that it will help keep Katrina on the national radar, where the decisions will be made that will shape the region's future.