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We're known as a party capital, and for some it is just that - a place to come and have a good time. For those who call this place home, New Orleans is something all together different. New Orleans has been and remains one of the only cities in America where its inhabitants truly celebrate life and cherish our social connections with others. And it's the people who visit this City and get a taste of it who can testify to our City's unique soul.

Maybe it comes from our roots. We are one of the only cites whose inhabitants stem from traditional cultures such as African, Italian, French and Irish. This unique mixture of ancestors and their traditions have created a New Orleans soul for the generations. We have grown up cherishing our families and extending those families beyond what our birth certificates indicate. We love to dance, sing, play music and take our time cooking great meals and eating them with friends and family.

What New Orleans citizens mourn as they are displaced throughout this country is this way of life. One that they were forced to leave behind.

Unlike some other metropolitan cities, our citizens don't live behind walls, we open our doors and extend life onto our balconies, porches and front yards. We know our neighbors and we truly look out for them. We also know our grocers, cooks, local waiters, restaurant owners, musicians, our teachers, our friends from high school, and we continue these relationships for years. I've lived in other cities and even other countries and have to say that this is a truly unique characteristic that defines and endures in New Orleans.

On Katrina's 2nd Anniversary, the day is filled with social remembrances, raised voices and hopes for a new beginning. We join together to celebrate and remember the lives of our fellow citizens, fellow New Orleanians.

The morning began early at the Charity Hospital Cemetery where dignitaries, elected officials and the public paused to remember. The cemetery is the site for a future memorial for the unidentified, undeclar ed victims of Hurricane Katrina. A clearly emotional Mayor Nagin rang a memory bells rang for two minutes at 9:38 am to signify the series of levee breeches that devastated the City and caused enduring death and pain to its citizens. Wreaths were laid throughout the City at the various locations by City Council members.

At 10 am, the City joined together in a "Celebration of Thanks" in appreciation for of the contributions of millions of volunteers around the country and world. At noon, a memorial mass was held at the Saint Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square with the Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes leading prayers. An Art exhibition featuring the photos of the "Waterline" was on exhibit as well as a screening of a new documentary film "Washing Away - Losing Louisiana." White flags with the names of the lost waved at a temporary memorial outside of Metairie Cemetery. Local Chef Scott Boswell spent the day grilling hamburgers outdoors, just like after Katrina, and will donate proceeds to Global Green. Simultaneous prayers, story telling, concerts and vigils took place throughout the City, throughout the day. So many of them, in fact, it is impossible for one to attend them all.

Down at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, a rally called "8/29 A Day of Presence" took place from 2pm until dusk. The event was attended by Katrina survivors and activists and its focus was to bring awareness on the slow recovery efforts. In attendance were notable political figures such as Congressman William Jefferson, Mayor Ray Nagin, City Council members Cynthia Willard, James Carter, and Gubernatorial hopefuls Walter Boasso and John Georges. Former Mayor Marc Morial was also at the event.

Emotions ran high as speakers continued their call for a "Regional Marshall Plan" for the devastated Gulf Coast area. Preacher Bishop Paul Morton as well as Susan Taylor, Angie Stone, Dr. Norman Frances, Iyanla Vanzant, Victoria Raoul, Andy Koplin and many others called for continued focus from the White House and urged citizens to demand rights such as the ability to return and commitment to social justice and responsibility from the Bush Administration. Flyers, hats and pamphlets were handed out urging the crowd to call their elected officials and demand justice now. Musical guests and dance troupes entertained the crowds who both sat and stood outside the Convention Center in the rain. On this 2nd Katrina anniversary day, they were offered chairs and plenty of bottled water from the City of New Orleans.

Rod Amis's Personal Blog

Guest Bloggers Page

Today's Guest Blogger: JAMIE MENUTIS

SUBJECT: Senator Landrieu's Hope and Recovery Summit

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"Hope, recovery and results, and we need to start delivering those results now." said Senator Hillary Clinton to a crowd at Monday's Hope and Recovery Summit sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu and held at the University of New Orleans. Clinton added a commitment to New Orleans by saying that she would do "whatever she could" as Senator and that "if we don't get done what you deserve by the time I am President, I will make it one of my highest priorities."

The all - day summit sponsored by Senator Landrieu brought together leaders from various aspects of the community vital to the recovery of New Orleans. The panels that began at 9am and ran all day included Coastal Restoration, Levees and Infrastructure , Education (K - 12) and higher education, Business Recovery, Rebuilding the Criminal Justice System, Housing and Sustainable Community Development, and in attendance, from the Presidential Leadership Forum, Presidential hopefuls Congressman Mike Huckabee, Senator John Edwards, Senator Hillary Clinton and Congressman Duncan Hunter.

The back to back panels were moderated by local news anchors including Roop Raj, Camille Whitworth and others who posed questions to the panelists and kept time as each panelist updated the press and guests on their efforts. A few timed questions from the audience were also allowed, and apart from escorting the representatives from "The Revolution" A Communist Newspaper angry at George Bush, the most passionate questions pertained to crime, particularly the release of criminals from jail and the number of police on the ground. "There is a lack of available jurors and this greatly needed," said Ruthie Frierson, founder of Citizens for One Greater New Orleans. Frierson said that her group was a place for citizens to become more involved in preventing crime and referred the audience to their website, citizensforone.org.

Other Crime panelists included Jim Letten, Warren Riley and others. Members of the organization filled the audience wearing red jackets and buttons listing the website. During the Housing panel, James R. Kelly, CEO of Catholic Charities and Providence Community Housing described the desires expressed by the community as "Now and New," meaning that people want to move back to public housing, in particular, Lafitte Public Housing's 898 apartments, now! They would like to live through a phased renovation and development but stressed that housing, low cost and decent is needed now. The need for housing with services attached for vulnerable families is vital at this time. This is what is envisioned to move families who suffered through Katrina and lost everything from "sustainability to prosperity" said Kelly. Since Katrina, the number of homeless persons has doubled and is now at 12,000, said a Representative from Unity of Greater New Orleans. For post Katrina New Orleans to have "sustainable community development, you must have community participation and involvement" Said Sean Reilly, Louisiana Speaks Champion and President of Lamar Advertising.

Steven Preston from the U.S. Small Business Administration and Eugene Cornelius, Director of the Louisiana District of the SBA both reiterated the commitment that the SBA has made in the recovery of New Orleans and said that the agency remains committed to helping small business come back to New Orleans and new ones to start up. Senator Landrieu announced a new partnership between Microsoft and the SBA, but did not give details. Mr. Preston said that 2 billion dollars has already been given out in small loans to Louisiana businesses to date and that six billion in loans are available for long term, low interest to small business and home owners.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien moderated the Presidential Panel. She started by asking Senator John Edwards to describe his Gulf Coast Recovery Plan. The Senator spelled out his recovery plan that consists of four key elements; Security, Police, Levees and Jobs/ Infrastructure. Topping his priority list was security which his said was vital for the rebuilding of the City. "Without security, it's hard for people to come back," he said.

As President, he promised to create a "Recovery Tsar" who would report to the President daily on the Recovery of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. Additionally, he would add 500 new police officers to the City's ailing force. When asked about Levees, Edwards said he was committed to paying "whatever it took" for the levees to be rebuilt. The crowd laughed when he further said he'd like to enact something called the "Brownie Law," a law whereby any federal offi cial put in charge of a major Federal Government agency is actually qualified for the job, referring to the past failure by FEMA head Brown.

Security for the event was tight with mainly prescreened press and key community representatives in attendance. It appears that the main intention of the event was to get press coverage on the status of the efforts thus far. More question and answers between the community and the panelists would have made the event more effective. However, getting the key players all in one place at the same time was a success in its own right. Mayor Ray Nagin was not in attendance.