From Gwendolyn Dixon:
I’m working on a documentary project for PBS Frontline that is scheduled to air nationally in April 2008 — The program is tracing the recovery and rebuilding process in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
We´ve been searching for archival material (VIDEO and PHOTOS) to help tell the story and are trying to find images that show the Lower Ninth Ward and the vibrant community that existed there from BEFORE the storm. It´s been a challenge as so many lost their family photos, footage — everything — in the storm.
We´re specifically searching for slice-of-life type video because several Lower Ninth Ward residents interviewed in the documentary speak lovingly about the things they remember and miss about the Lower Ninth ward BEFORE Katrina: such things as the places they used to frequent, like the neighborhood corner store, a barbershop, or a school they used to attend.
We´re trying to find footage and photographs that show what that tight-knit community was like — so we are not really wanting to locate portrait shots, but rather material that visually shows what the neighborhood character was like. We´re wanting to find visual material that dates from the 50s on up.
Our deadline is fairly tight. We must locate material as soon as possible.
If anyone has any material that falls in line with what we´re seeking, would you please contact us at faithpbs@gmail.com .
Again because we´re on deadline, we are asking for responses only from those with material they wouldn´t mind loaning our project. We promise to credit anyone willing to loan us the material and we promise to take good care of it and to return it.
And we must stress that we are seeking images from BEFORE Katrina.
Being able to show what life was like BEFORE Katrina will go a long way in putting a face to what this community (the Lower Ninth) meant to so many.
MANY MANY THANKS
Gwendolyn Dixon
646.415.8718