Best Archive of Survival

Alive in Truth

Alive in Truth: The New Orleans Disaster Oral History & Memory Project. This Austin-based oral history project was born after local resident and New Orleans native (and Chronicle contributor) Abe Louise Young first visited the convention center during the horrible aftermath of hurricane Katrina. "Like everyone, I was somewhat desperate to [figure out] how I could be of service," Young said. She also "realized that physical survival needs are vital, but … connection, healing, and being really deeply heard are part of that process." And that was basically the beginning of Alive in Truth, an admirable, all-volunteer effort to document the lives and experiences of New Orleans evacuees. The project is a lot more than therapy for its interview subjects and volunteers, however. Contrary to standard time- and space-constrained media coverage, Alive in Truth is a thorough, big-picture exploration of the toll of one of America's worst natural disasters through the eyes of its victims – an invaluable historical tool.

www.aliveintruth.org

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