The Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, has faced significant challenges. The devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 hit this community the hardest, making it the last to regain public services and the last to be drained following the flooding. Despite these hardships, the community, once a vibrant hub of rich cultural heritage and historical Black homeownership, has spent nearly two decades rebuilding and rehabilitating their community, a testament to their resilience and determination.
The park before restoration efforts.Photo bySankofa Community Development Corporation
Now, a remarkable ecological resurgence is occurring in the Sankofa Wetlands Park, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Sankofa Community Development Corporation (CDC), whose mission. Founded by Rashida Ferdinand, a long-time resident who grew up in the wetlands, the CDC was established to find solutions to her community’s challenges. In 2014, she partnered with the City of New Orleans to revitalize the wetland park known as Sankofa. As part of the project, the CDC is also collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, and LA Green Corps to bring environmental justice resources to the project through education, advocacy, and workforce development. The work was to restore a natural place of beauty back to its glory and safeguard the surrounding community from ongoing flooding, which continued to displace families and negatively impact infrastructure.