Build A Lighthouse. Create Community.

By Karen and Erica

Community is a critical part of our lives, but we are a bit wary of the word. It has been extremely overused. But sometimes we read of community efforts that humble us by their ingenuity and effectiveness. One such plan was created in response to the post-Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

Twenty years ago, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina submerged New Orleans. Floodwaters overwhelmed the city, and those who had been unable to evacuate lost access to power and clean water while enduring stifling heat. The situation was heart-breaking, and it was difficult to know what to do to help. 

One group of people in New Orleans was determined to prevent such a post-hurricane disaster from ever happening again. That group went way beyond wishing and hoping. They created Together Louisiana, a statewide coalition of religious and civic organizations aimed at improving residents’ quality of life, including during climate crises.

What has Together Louisiana done?

• A renewable energy firm working with Together Louisiana has installed solar panels and back-up batteries on more than a dozen churches, civic centers and other neighborhood-serving facilities throughout New Orleans, creating microgrids that stay powered during prolonged blackouts.

• These buildings have also been designated as “Community Lighthouses.” They will serve as resilience hubs offering people a range of support and potentially life-saving services. They’re stocked with food, charging stations and refrigerators for storing medicine. And they’re run by members of the community.

• The “Lighthouses” are administered by“‘lighthouse keepers,’”who routinely canvass their neighbors to identify who is living alone, and what residents would need in the face of a disaster.  They are known to the community, and the information they collect will inform the response to any disaster 

The plan has many challenges, but apparently the parties in charge have been adroit at handling many of them, especially the political issues.

One of the key successes of the project has been its ability to garner support across political lines. Instead of framing the initiative solely around environmental concerns, Together Louisiana has focused on the economic and reliability benefits of distributed clean energy. “We’re not coming at this from a ‘green energy’ angle—we’re saying, ‘Our energy grid is failing us, and we need a better solution,’” [Erik Hancock, who has been with Together Louisiana for four years] explains. “Whatever your political affiliation, we can all agree that having power during an outage is essential.” 

We read about the Together Louisiana plan in a Bloomberg report, and the story literally brought tears to our eyes, especially at a time when we both remember Katrina and watch our government shift responsibility for disaster to local authorities and community builders. This is smart local planning that fosters real community.

Hats off to Together Louisiana. And let it be a lesson for us all: If we put our minds to something, as well as our hearts, we can do it. Together.