Brad Pitt Making it Right

I have to tip my hat to Brad Pitt for his recent interview on Larry King. The interview was conducted in the still devastated 9th ward in New Orleans. Pink tents symbolized homes that still have not been rebuilt in the area. Both King and Pitt reflected on the community, disaster and the response without being overly political. Pitt was getting exposure for the organization he is involved with which is called "Make It Right".

I personally have an interest as I came to New Orleans shortly after Katrina to do what I could. Since then I have worked on debris removal with the Corps of Engineers, the trailer program with FEMA, built apartment complexes and rebuilt homes. I have worked in almost every part of the state affected by Katrina and Rita. That time has provided me with some of the most rewarding work I have ever been a part of. It also has been a constant frustration due to failures on many levels that still continue.

As a Construction Manager I found obstacles in every project I was involved with that I had never seen before. I came to "Make It Right" but often found it difficult because of procedure, politics or most often greed. There has been progress and the state is not quite as bad as it was when I arrived in October 2005. Much more could and should have been done by now. Though I worked in New Orleans shortly after the storm, my primary initial assignment was Plaquemines Parish south of New Orleans where Katrina first came ashore.

Plaquemines Parish was completely devastated, and when I would go back to New Orleans it didn't look quite as bad as what I had seen. But New Orleans was worse than I would have imagined seeing in my lifetime. I took pictures and movies wherever I went, but as Larry King said you can never capture it on film. It also shook me as I had complete confidence in the United States to take on any task, which is something I now question.

I still live in Louisiana and find the unique culture to be one of America's greatest treasures. I want to see it come back better than before, and I have admiration for Pitt using his celebrity to help. Though it has been well over two years since the storms there are still people that need to get back their lives. This is the U.S.A. I believe in, let's Make It Right.