Awaiting Final Approval

I am anxiously awaiting to sign off on the final proof book cover of Look and Leave : Photographs and Stories from New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward. I am so excited that the project is nearing completion. It has been 4 years in the making, and I feel that my early personal commitment to share my experiences is nearly realized.

I think often of a young boy sitting next to me on the bus as we drove through the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood and with his big brown eyes, he pleadingly asked for "someone to please contact Oprah or Spike Lee or someone who might understand and send help." We all felt so very helpless.

I made a video shortly after returning with music and images. I listened to it a few weeks ago in preparing for an upcoming exhibition. What totally amazed me was that the last , upbeat song of the video was Yes We Can Can by Allen Toussaint.

Here are the lyrics.....

"Now is the time

Now is the time for all good men
To get together with one another
Iron out our problems
And iron out our quarrels
And try to live as brothers
And try to find a piece within
Without stepping on one another
And do respect the women of the world
Just remember you all have mothers
Make this land a better land
Than the world in which we live
And help each man be a better man
With the kindness that you give
I know we can make it
I know darn well we can work it out
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we
If we wanna get yes we can can
I know we can make it a world
I know we can make it if we try
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, great, got your money
Yes we can, I know we can can

Take care of the children
The children of the world
They're our strongest hope for the future
The little bitty boys and girls

Make this land a better land
Than the world in which we live
And help each man be a better man
With the kindness that you give
I know we can make it (I know that we can)
I know darn well we can work it out
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we
If we wanna get yes we can can
I know we can make it a world
I know we can make it if we try
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, great, got your money
Yes we can, I know we can can"

Little did we know then that Barack Obama would rise to the call. A friend last night said that Obama's leadership is UNPARALLELED IN HISTORY.
Now that is something to think about.