Every year at Mardi Gras, the troops of Mardi Gras Indians dance under the Claiborne overpass on the edge of the Treme neighborhood, one of the oldest African-American neighborhoods in the country. Thousands of people eat and dance as the colorful troops show off their intricate hand-made costumes of thousands of feathers and beads. The troops originated when Mardi Gras parades in the rest of the city were a white only affair and the African-Americans in the city celebrated Mardi Gras while giving a tribute to Native Americans that housed run away slaves.

This, not the huge floats that roll down Canal Street is seen by many as the real Mardi Gras in New Orleans. You won't find drunk tourists flashing for beads here. This is where you go to dance and sweat and experience the incredible culture that has grown out of neighborhoods that are still struggling to rebuild and bring those culture bearers home.

More on the flip side...

Cross-posted on the Drum Major Institute's blog

The New York Times yesterday fronted an intimate look (and equally compelling video report) on the slow pace of housing recovery in New Orleans. As FEMA readies to evict thousands of low-income residents from their trailers and bulldozers warm up to demolish salvageable public housing, the reality is that very few families are able to find an affordable place to rent back in their home city.

UPDATE: As pointed out in the comments, rebuilding must not only be affordable, but environmentally sustainable. Check out this NYT piece on Brad Pitt's effort to "Build Green" in NOLA, and his "Make It Right" campaign site. Very cool.

Two years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is coming back – but not for everyone. It's been a struggle every step of the way -- hamstrung by a do-nothing federal government and an at-best bumbling response at all levels. But, despite what you see on your TV, there has been some progress.  

Determined residents -- backed by nonprofits, community groups and more than 1 million volunteers -- have helped some poor and vulnerable residents succeed. Keep reading to find out where there's hope, and where "Hope Needs Help"

Can you believe it's been almost two years? Two years since the levees broke. Two years since the Superdome. Two years since "Heckuva Job." Two years since Bush promised the nation that his administration "will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives." Two years out, leading on-the-ground experts will come to YearlyKos to talk about how far we've come in New Orleans -- and how far we still have to go.