Greater New Orleans Community Data Center to Host Forum on Lessons From Katrina

From our Friends at Greater New Orleans Community Data Center:
The 2005 storms that devastated the Gulf region will long be studied by policy analysts, historians, and social commentators for their size and impact. Since 2005, the world has witnessed new devastation with earthquakes in Haiti and China, floods in Pakistan, and the tsunami that wiped out huge portions of Japan and its landscape, with an overwhelming loss of life. Closer to home, tornados obliterated much of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Joplin, Missouri. Leaders worldwide continue to turn to the Gulf Coast in search of lessons learned.

A new book, Resilience and Opportunity: Lessons from the U.S. Gulf Coast after Katrina and Rita, from Brookings Institution Press, featuring many New Orleans researchers, documents the unprecedented civic revival that has breathed energy and accountability into reforms and has the potential to make the region more resilient to future catastrophes. It also assesses the state of current reforms in education and land use planning, as well as lesser publicized reforms such as in evacuation planning and criminal justice.

On August 29th, the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center and University of New Orleans will host a forum to introduce this edited volume from the Brookings Institution Press and discuss its implications.

This forum will recognize those achievements perhaps overlooked, examine where we are today according to the numbers with a briefing on the New Orleans Index at Six, and honestly assess the business undone and what New Orleanians, its leaders, and many partners must do to make greater New Orleans a model of growth and resilience.

Copies of the book will be available on site for purchase at a discount.

Resilience and Opportunity:
Lessons from the U.S. Gulf Coast after Katrina and Rita
Monday, August 29, 2011, 1:00 pm - 5:30 pm
University of New Orleans
Homer L. Hitt Alumni Center – Geoghegan Grand Ballroom
New Orleans, LA
Attendance is free and open to the public. However, space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please RSVP at this link.

Schedule:
Welcome
Susan Krantz
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
University of New Orleans

Introduction
Amy Liu
Senior Fellow and Co- Director of Metropolitan Policy Program
The Brookings Institution

New Orleans Index at Six
Allison Plyer
Deputy Director
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center

Panel Discussion: State and Future of Policy Reforms
Moderator: Andre Perry
Loyola University

John Renne
University of New Orleans

Karen DeSalvo
Tulane University
City of New Orleans

Luceia LeDoux
Baptist Community Ministries

Mark Davis
Tulane University

Panel Discussion: State and Future of Civil Society and Community Engagement
Moderator: Roland Anglin
Rutgers University

Richard Mizelle
Florida State University

Linetta Gilbert
Ford Foundation
The Declaration Initiative

Silas Lee
Xavier University

Reilly Morse
Mississippi Center for Justice

Rich McCline
Southern University at Baton Rouge