A group of revelers walk down Bourbon Street on Lundi Gras February 19, 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
For New Orleans to thrive, we need for you to care. Our citizens need to see your smiling faces, and our economy needs your business. The tourist areas have returned to their former glory, so come visit, and experience our city's unmatched flavor for vitality. When you return home, spread the word that our city is indeed alive and kicking.
The situation in New Orleans is really one of relativity. There is no quick fix for such massive devastation, and no model for a recovery of this magnitude. As a result, some of the hardest hit areas of our city are still uninhabited. Be that as it may, the citizens who currently reside in New Orleans, and who have endured Katrina's aftermath, see nothing but progress. Two years ago, every inch of New Orleans was blanketed with trash and debris, and in some cases, homes were actually strewn about the streets. There was no electricity or running water, and our city was virtually dead. However, now the path is cleared, the lights are on, the grass is green, the birds are chirping, and many a nail is being hammered. I can say unequivocally, "We have come a long way!"
New Orleanians certainly appreciate the challenges ahead, but this city runs through our blood, and we remain passionately dedicated to its renaissance. We are here because we believe, and now more than ever, we are truly proud to call New Orleans home.
Becky Zaheri is a native New Orleanian, and stay at home mom, who founded the Katrina Krewe, which mobilized over 10,000 local, national and international volunteers to remove over 250,000 tons of trash and debris from the streets of New Orleans post Katrina, and the Krewe continues to foster anti litter awareness via its "Keep it Klean!" campaign.