What You Can Do

"Coming Home" is a blog looking at life in New Orleans as we get ready
to meet again in the Superdome July 5, 6 and 7 for the Essence Music
Festival. Recently, a blog reader asked, "What can we all do
collectively as participants of Essence's wonderful festival to help
our people get back on their feet?" Here are a few quick suggestions:

1) Give back. In the May 1 entry – "The Volunteer Army" – I wrote
about volunteer opportunities. We can use all the help we can get
here, and there's no better way to meet people and find out how people
are really doing than to spend a half-day or a day working with them.

2) Spend your money. Eat, drink, be merry – it's all good to us.
French Quarter businesses have had a tough time since Katrina, and
there are few problems here that wouldn't be helped by more money.

3) Spread the word. Tell people about the good times you had and about
the messed-up nonsense you saw, too. We need people to know we're open
for business and that you can have a good time in New Orleans, but we
also need people to know that the job's not done.

4) Listen. It's natural to want to share your thoughts on Katrina, but
if you let people tell you about what they went through and what it's
like to live here now, you'll learn a lot more. And it's all more
complicated and interesting than what fits in a soundbite or a blog
entry.

5) Remember us at election time. Vote for candidates that put taking
care of people first. Politicians that can turn their backs on New
Orleans could do the same to other cities. Require them to share the
values we hold dear.

Writer Alex Rawls edits OffBeat, Louisiana's music and culture magazine.

Comments

[New Orleans Service Industry]

Please remember that those of us in the service industry do not make minimum wage. Most of us only make $2.13 and hour. Please remember to tip. Industry standard is 15-20%. While we are looking forward to an influx of visitors for the festival, we are apprehensive about what is traditionally a very costly week for those of us in the service industry. Most of us must tip out others in our places of employment based upon the total amount of our sales, which means it costs us to serve those who do not tip. Please remember those of us who serve you and are here to make your stay more pleasant.

[Kwame]

My hotel is charging 28 dollars a night to park my car and it can only be valet parked. I usually tip extremely well but this is pure gouging. Who do you think is going to pay the penalty? I will tip when I get my car but not even close to what I normally would.

[Adrian]

Not really price gouging. It is not out of the ordinary to see prices like that in big city hotels. Dont take it out on the workers because you choose a full service hotel with prices such as that.

[Kiersten]

I work for EBONetworks a marketing and advertising firm. We are having a series of after parties during the Essence weekend. One main event you all should check out is the party on Saturday July 7,2007 @ the Sugar Mill across from the convention Center. Everything kicks off at 10 p.m. Hope to see you there the tickets are $25 dollars to get in. For futher information go to neworleansblack.com and also to purchase tickets and buy tickets at the door.