In the wake of Katrina, New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward was one of the few neighborhoods where relief came slowly. Less than 25% of its pre-Katrina population has returned and many houses have been abandoned or mowed down. As a result, the USDA officially listed the neighborhood as a “food desert”, defined as urban areas without access to affordable food in a five-mile radius. Burnell Cotlon returned to his home neighborhood in 2007 and was dismayed by what he saw. He pleaded with major chain stores to open up in the Ward, but the ongoing reconstruction and slow repopulation kept them away. Cotlon decided he’d open up his own shops and restore the community one small business at a time. He learned carpentry and electrical work through YouTube videos so that he could build all his operations on a budget. To date, he’s opened a grocery store, a market, a barbershop, and a laundromat all in an effort to centralize and revitalize pride for the Ward. http://bit.ly/2sTuWZM Director: Henry Busby Agency: Tribeca Studios Client: Bai Production Company: Voyager Creative Executive Producer: Andrew Hutcheson Head of Production: David Brickel Producer: Amalia Bradstreet DP: Kelly Jeffrey Steadicam: Chad Chamberlain Drone Operator: Atmosphere Aerial 1st AC: Zachary Kertesz Camera PA: Sophia Stevenson Grip: Justin Crawford Sound Mixer: Tim Connor PA: Toby David Editor: Henry Busby Audio Post: One Thousand Birds Audio Post Producer: Kira MacKnight Sound Mixer: Calvin Pia Original Music: Hyperballad Composer: Jonathan Benedict

via IFTTT