On Monday, May 26th, the Wanderlust Bicycle Caravan rolled out of New
Orleans, multicolored flags waving in the wind as passersby look on,
awestruck at the sight of so many women on bikes. We wound our way
through neighborhoods still devastated from Katrina, riding to bear
witness to the beauty and resilience of the New Orleanians who are
fighting to save their city, to recreate their communities in the face
of overwhelming odds and government inaction. The story of the
recovery from Katrina, and the lack thereof, has been well documented,
but there was something profoundly moving about standing in the empty
field next to the canal where three years ago, the levee broke,
unleashing utter devastation on the Lower Ninth Ward. Even today, it
is virtually empty. We were told that roughly 10% of the residents of
the Lower Ninth have returned, and it is like a ghost town, new hopeful
houses sitting lonely on otherwise deserted blocks. A few blocks in
from the levee the Common Ground Collective has a big sign outside that
says something along the lines of "Shame on you, tourists. Get out of
your cars and help."
We talked that evening about feeling called out by that sign,
feeling shamed. But we also talked about the importance of bearing
witness, of carrying the story of New Orleans to the people who think
that Katrina is over. If I learned anything from being in New Orleans,
it is that Katrina is still very much alive and present in the lives of
every single resident, whether they've lived there their whole lives or
whether they came down to help after the storm and fell in love with
the singular, joyful beauty of New Orleans. 
Leg 1 of the Wanderlust Tour!
In some ways, Katrina revealed stark inequalities that existed covertly before the storm, and the recovery has led to some amazing initiatives. The Women's Health and Justice Initiative is a women of color led reproductive justice organization that provides trainings, does community organizing, and provides reproductive health care services through the New Orleans Women's Health Clinic. Like so many of the post-Katrina initiatives, the WHJI is the product of the immense dedication, creativity, and energy of a small group of individuals. In the words of Shana Griffin, the Interim Director of the WHJI:
The purpose of the clinic is to improve low-income and uninsured women of color's healthcare access and to promote a holistic and community-centered approach to primary healthcare. At the same time we look at the oppression and violence that have impact on the health status of women and to improve those situations. It's more than providing healthcare services, it's also about challenging the conditions that limit our access and our opportunities, such as poverty, racism, gender-based violence, imperialism, and war. We see it as more than just a clinic -- we want it to also be an organizing center that can meet immediate needs while also working for racial, gender, economic, and environmental justice. We see our clinic as a great opportunity to talk to people and discuss why these services and this approach is needed. We have the power to reinvent ourselves and create institutions that are equitable
You can read the entire interview here. These initiatives are always in need of support, and you can find ways to support the Health Clinic and the WHJI here.
From New Orleans, the Wanderlust riders rode out to Mobile, Alabama, through the place where the eye of the storm passed -- our own small tornado of women on bicycles. We've learned lots over the past four days about ourselves, about traveling in a group, changing flat tires, not leaving cream cheese over night, and believing the signs that say "bikes prohibited in tunnels." That sign precipitated our first accident, when a front tire eating grate loomed suddenly in front of us and we stopped short, bikes flying in the air as riders tumbled on top of each other. Luck was in our favor on so many levels - no one was badly injured, Becky was driving the SAG wagon behind us and managed to not run over the pile of bicycles, and the bike shop we went to to get the bikes fixed happened to have a spare derailleur hanger to replace Elizabeth's cracked hanger, without which she could not have kept riding.
Right now we're sitting on a dock stretched out over the Tensaw River, at Hubbards Landing fish camp, and we plan to spend the day building our community, strengthening our connections with each other and sharing our stories. Last night we realized that we've been spending so much time biking and eating that we haven't had a lot of time to just breathe, let alone get to know each other, so that's what today is for. To keep up with the Wanderlust ride on the road, you can check out our blog at wanderlustwithrhonda.com.
Follow Nora and Wanderlust from the Beginning!
- Nora Dye and Shelby Knox, Pedaling into Local Reproductive Justice Activism
