Please Don’t Forget About The Bayou
Please Don’t Forget About The Bayou

Maybe it is my fault.

When someone asks me where I’m from, I use New Orleans as a waypoint and direct them 1 ½ hours south. It is a poor explanation that does not do a good job of truly describing where I’m from. But what happens when a Hurricane is headed for Louisiana? We talk about the point of impact on the coast. Finally, we give a name and position to one of these southern communities. Cocodrie, Houma, Lafitte, Grand Isle, Golden Meadow, Galliano, Port Fourchon, and my hometown of Chauvin.

Louisiana is more than just New Orleans.

So, let’s try again. Where are we from? We’re from Cocodrie, steps (not miles) from the Gulf of Mexico at the southern tip of Terrebonne parish in southeastern Louisiana. A small community that hosts sportsmen and houses fishermen and their families. Where a kid can inherit a level of seafood snobbery unrivaled anywhere in the world. We’re from Chauvin, 20 minutes up the road or up the bayou on Highway 56. Home. Where Mom & Dad live, alongside their family, on the same street. Where cajun culture is born and legends are buried in the St. Joseph cemetery. And we’re from Houma, 20 minutes further up. We called it “Town” growing up. A bustling metropolis of over 30k people with Walmarts on both sides of town.

Maybe those names sound familiar? That’s because it is the exact route Hurricane Ida followed one week ago. And, I guess she liked what she saw, because she stuck around for hours, sending 150+mph winds into our communities, devastating homes and businesses in her wake, and terrifying my family members who could not evacuate. (They are okay.)

Now, I’m not here to share photos of destruction. Feel free to Google those. Instead, I’d like to talk about how we can help the people affected, right now. My sister Melissa Martin (of Mosquito Supper Club) has teamed up with local legend and advocate (and my one-time improv teacher) Jonathan Foret (of Helio Foundation) to create a fund that puts money right into the hands of families that need it most. Please donate if you can at www.bayoufund.org. We have also created some easily shareable social graphics for stories and timelines which you can download here: bit.ly/bayoufund

Our community is strong but there is one thing that scares them more than hurricanes: the news cycle. Please don’t forget about the bayou.
['Lee Martin']
['Weather', 'Fundraising', 'Climate Change', 'Louisiana', 'Donations']