Ten years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, a community media project called the Listening Post is asking people to record their reflections on the disaster.
Their recording station at the New Orleans Museum of Art prompts visitors to speak into this owl-shaped microphone and share memories.
Here are some of the most moving moments they collected:
1. “My sister was laying on a bed and she was about five months old and a tree fell into the room.”
2. "I hung them in the closet, never thinking I would need a life preserver to swim out of my house."
3. "This is what stays with me: croaking frogs that were in my house when I returned after the storm."
4. "I always think about ways we can continue to improve upon what's still lacking."
5. "I was crying while I was holding her. I was saying that we’re gonna go home ... and you’re gonna see the New Orleans that I know and love very well."
People can also text in responses that may be read on air at WWNO, the New Orleans-area NPR member station.
A recent text we got -- "If you didn't go through Katrina, do not create art about it. Don't even talk about it."
The Listening Post is also tweeting out memories and comments people have shared.
'I'll always remember living in the FEMA trailer- the shower was too short for me so i’d have to hunch over to take a shower every morning.'
'We had a really crotchety old neighbor but after Katrina all his steaks were defrosting so the entire block got steak dinners that night.'
'Someone went back home & found his uncle decomposing in a house. There was supposed to be police for that, but they hadn’t done their job.'
best way to commemorate K10? To not have Obama, Clinton, AND Bush come to our city, time of mourning and remembrance, not a publicity stunt
The Listening Post is a project created by reporter Jesse Hardman in partnership with Internews, GroundSource, and WWNO.
Hardman and his team have installed recording stations and posted text message prompts around New Orleans to start conversations about climate change, schools, development and other local issues.
Telling stories at the New Orleans Mission
To share your thoughts with the Listening Post, tweet at them or text "Hello" to 504-303-4348.
Love to see more community messengers getting in the game here in New Orleans