Liz Carter spent time as a volunteer in New Orleans through the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, in November and December of 2005. She worked with preservation and architecture professionals from around the U.S. Their work involved on-the-ground survey of damage to both individual buildings and entire neighborhoods, providing assistance and/or advice to returning residents, and perhaps most importantly to bear witness to the situation, report back to the National Trust, and advocate at home for the continued financial and political support necessary for rebuilding the region.
What she witnessed in New Orleans prompted her to create a presentation in order to provide information to those interested in something other than the media version of events there. She witnessed the impact of the hurricane on families, neighborhoods, communities and the entire social structure of the city.
She heard military personnel who had been in Iraq comment that the situation in New Orleans was just as bad. The team she was working with heard harrowing stories from nearly every single person they met.
As Liz puts it, "There is a CLEAR connection between the concepts of peace and justice and what is happening in the Gulf; it's not just about preserving buildings, but more about saving culture, people, families and rights."
Her presentation includes photos and narration explaining the views, and describing the physical, psychological, and political issues or circumstances relative to the images.
Liz Carter Liz Carter works in Eugene, Oregon, USA as a private historic preservation consultant. A graduate of the Master's Program of Historic Preservation at the University of Oregon, Liz has been working in the field of preservation since 1993, working with private property owners as well as local, state and federal agencies on a variety of projects pertaining to the preservation and rehabilitation of historic sites in Oregon.
Liz will return to New Orleans in late March with a group of graduate students from the University of Oregon, to work again with the National Trust and the Preservation Resource Center.
