The Little Library of Water provides residents with an engaging way to interact with our watershed, connecting audiences across the city with the water that shapes life in New Orleans.
read moreThis guide will walk you through some ways to protect your buildings from high winds, flooding, fire, winter weather, and hail. These techniques range from very minor to…
read moreA business owner’s guide to survival before and after a disaster: Making sure that key operations can continue immediately following a disaster, as well as preventing interruptions when possible, is…
read moreHomeowners impacted by the 2016 floods and state officials continue to wait on new legal guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on whether loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration will count against Restore Louisiana recovery grants…
read moreHomeowners impacted by the 2016 floods and state officials continue to wait on new legal guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on whether loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration will count against Restore Louisiana recovery grants…
read moreThe Trump Administration’s proposal to roll back Clean Water Act regulations could impact Louisiana wetlands, according to Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy Director Mark Davis. By narrowing the EPA’s definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS), only wetlands that are adjacent to a major body of water or connected to a major waterway would be federally protected…
read moreThe release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, which examines climate change science and impacts across the US, focused on the August 2016 flooding in the Baton Rouge area as evidence of climate change impacts. The damage estimates from that storm came to $10.1 billion, and…
read moreOn the heels of the midterm election, we wanted to highlight a tool from the Union of Concerned Scientists, showing what’s at stake in coastal congressional districts…
read moreThis past month, we watched our neighbors in the Carolinas face down Hurricane Florence. The storm caused widespread damage, including at least 45 reported deaths, thousands of displaced residents, more than 1,000 still remaining in shelters, and damage anticipated in the…
read more
Happy Holidays from ours to yours! Imagine Water Works is officially offline now through Kings Day, January 6th, when we welcome the start of Carnival Season, king cakes, and a new year of being in relationship with yall and with the land ❤️💚
*This vid was taken last night by Klie, whose family’s tradition is to have lit bonfires with their neighbors along the Mississippi River levee every Christmas Eve for hundreds of years in St. James Parish. The story is that it helps Papa Noel find us in our rural towns upriver from New Orleans. Each fire is across from the family’s house who built it, where we gather for food and music throughout the night.
HAPPENING NOW: Free Christmas trees behind Harold’s Plants. We have plenty, so come by! If you’re wondering whether this is for you, yes it is 😊🎄🎁
Also handing out new puzzles and copies of the New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance & Renewal.
We’re here until 3pm today (Sunday) or until we run out.
Happy Holidays from Team Imagine Water Works and @haroldsplants! And big shouts to Libby and Coleen for connecting and organizing.
🎄We’re back at it🎄 One more chance for FREE, full size Christmas trees! Tomorrow (Sunday 12/22) from 12-3pm BEHIND Harold’s Plants.
Drive down Montegut and take a right onto Marais behind the plant store. Please get in line behind other cars and someone will greet you: Do not enter or park in the store’s front lot. We have about 50 more trees left and will be there until we run out.
Also still offering new puzzles as supplies last and copies of the New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance & Renewal. Happy holidays from @haroldsplants and @imaginewaterworks! ❤️💚
FREE, full size trees at the farm right now! We’re here til 5:30 today: 2718 Painters Street
Also offering lots of puzzles (grab multiple for gifts)! And satsumas grown on the farm, nutritional shakes for kids, kids books, MREs, resource guides. All free. Happy holidays from our Imagine Water Works team, @haroldsplants, and @cultureaidnola ☺️🎄🎁
Also for sale to support The Imagination Farm: Copies of the “Queer Trans Guide to Storms” are $12-20 sliding scale. Okra ornaments grown at the farm are $6 for 1, or $10 for 2.
**Christmas Tree GIVEAWAY** @ The Imagination Farm
Wednesday, Dec 18th @ 2-5:30pm
2718 Painters Street
* full size, real Christmas trees from @haroldsplants (bigger than the tree pictured) * new puzzles for teens/pre-teens provided by @cultureaidnola * childrens books and satsumas grown on the @imaginewaterworks farm while supplies last * nutritional shakes * copies of the New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance & Renewal *
Everything is FREE... and if you’re wondering whether this giveaway is for you, then yes, it is ☺️🎁🎄
We could use help too with a MUTUAL AID REQUEST: We need TREE STANDS! Do you have an extra stand to give to someone who might need one? Drop off at the farm between 9-6pm.
FOR SALE/DONATION: We’ll also have copies of the “Queer/Trans Guide to Storms” on sale for $12-20, sliding scale... and okra ornaments grown on the farm, one for $6 or two for $10. All donations help cover printing costs for the zine.
See you tomorrow!
🔥GET YR FITS & TIX READY, we’ve got DJ NUMU on deck TOMORROW night ✨
TICKETS @ qrco.de/CNHG (link in bio)
WHAT TO BRING (everything optional): SEEDS for the mutual aid seed swap, DREAMS for the communal altar, CREATIVITY for real-time community zine making, warm clothes, YOUR OWN DRINKS (alcoholic and not, don’t be shy) – and funds if you’d like to purchase food from the food truck, jewelry from @electricgemstones, or homegrown ornaments and the “Queer/Trans Guide to Storms” from team Imagine Water Works. *Resource guides always free.*
* fire pit * photo booth * zine making * mutual aid seed swap * merch * cornhole * communal altar * dancing * new orleans community resource guide for resistance and renewal * beverages * beats * eats by @southernsfoodtruck *
12/6 @ The Imagination Farm
2718 Painters Street
Suggested donation $10-100, no one turned away for lack of funds. Text TICKETS to 504-858-0200 to get on the list at no cost. What’s most important to us is that we build community in the off season – we’d love for folks to know us and each other, and to know where the mutual aid hub/farm is before the next storm or crisis hits. This event is a cute, chill, cozy way to do that with food and warmth and everything good. Blankets, campfire, and patio heater available to stay warm.
****On second slide w/ @ngoma_numuya, garments by @daisy__kaj 🎥 @guccikilledprada
📸: The photo booth is coming together, y’all. Entry gets you a polaroid pic/selfie to take home!✨
12/6 @ The Imagination Farm
2718 Painters Street
* fire pit * photo booth * zine making * mutual aid seed swap * merch * cornhole * communal altar * dancing * new orleans community resource guide for resistance and renewal * beverages * beats * eats by @southernsfoodtruck *
GET TIX @ qrco.de/CNHG (link in bio)
Suggested donation $10-100, no one turned away for lack of funds. Text TICKETS to 504-858-0200 to get on the list at no cost. What’s most important to us is that we build community in the off season – we’d love for folks to know us and each other, and to know where the mutual aid hub/farm is before the next storm or crisis hits. This event is a cute, chill, cozy way to do that with food and warmth and everything good. Blankets, campfire, and patio heater available to stay warm. Candles because of course.
When an EF-3 tornado hit Arabi in 2022, we worked with @southernsfood to bring warm (and delicious!) meals to our neighbors at our mutual aid relief distribution at @pirogueswhiskeybayou. On Dec 6, we’re bringing the truck back to The Imagination Farm to celebrate years of commitment to our communities – and to continuing to build intentional networks of care over time. We keep us safe, fed, resourced, informed. Come hang out and build with us.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW to * Imagine Winter Wonders: cool nights hot gayze * at qrco.de/CNHG (link in bio)
12/6 @ The Imagination Farm
2718 Painters Street
* fire pit * photo booth * zine making * mutual aid seed swap * merch * cornhole * communal altar * dancing * new orleans community resource guide for resistance and renewal * beverages * beats * eats *
This is a space to relax and unwind together, with good vibes under the stars. Tickets are a suggested donation $10-100, no one turned away for lack of funds. Text TICKETS to 504-858-0200 to get on the list at no cost.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW to * Imagine Winter Wonders: cool nights hot gayze * at qrco.de/CNHG (link in bio)
12/6 @ The Imagination Farm
2718 Painters Street
* fire pit * photo booth * zine making * mutual aid seed swap * merch * cornhole * communal altar * dancing * new orleans community resource guide for resistance and renewal * beverages * beats * eats by @southernsfood *
Join us for Imagine Water Works’ winter fundraiser and celebration, honoring the turn of seasons, our beloved community, and YOU! Let’s celebrate all that we did over the last year... and get ready for all that will come in 2025 and beyond. We also know how important it is to be with our people right now. Everyone is welcome, and we’ll especially be celebrating the beauty, power, joy, and endless creativity of our queer and trans community.
This is a space to relax and unwind together, with good vibes under the stars – and it’s also our first-ever fundraiser event! Tickets are suggested donation $10-100, no one turned away for lack of funds. Text TICKETS to 504-858-0200 to get on the list at no cost.
TRANS DAY OF RAGE: Come smash stuff with us on Friday, November 29th. Reserve your spot for our outdoor RAGE SPACE now at bit.ly/TRAGE!
WE PROVIDE:
mallets, shovels, bats
face shields, gloves
stuff to smash
a rage playlist
safe outdoor rage space
light snacks & beverages
YOU BRING:
friends + song requests
more stuff to smash
all of your rage
WHY?
Our community is constantly under attack and we are over it. We remember those we’ve lost, but we are done with losing. We are resilient, but we shouldn’t have to be. Feelings aren’t scary, complacency is. Primal yelling is healthy af. Anger at injustice is normal and energizes our movements. We are not afraid of it. We allow it to move us. We know that while rage may be the starting point, joy is the destination.
HOW TO HELP:
Contribute supplies to smash! We’re looking for plates, mugs, tiles, glasses, pillows, phones, electronics of all sizes, pumpkins… drop off any time at The Imagination Farm (2718 Painters Street).
SAVE THE DATE:
Can’t rage with us for #TDOR? Stop by for *Imagine Winter Wonders: Cool Nights, Hot Gayze* on Dec 6. Save the date and look for tix to drop soon.
Earth crafts, sun tea, fresh lemons, wood sorrels, squash stew, medicine.
Thank you @tulaneindigenous for co-organizing, and to everyone who stopped by the Radical Joy & Mourning Retreat to share gifts, stories, and laughs in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
We handmade bags and filled them with dried Perique tobacco and were able to harvest satsumas and persimmons to share. We used rosemary, banana flowers, willow, and dried okra for wreaths, and were able to offer tobacco seeds from our own plants for the first time! All grown at The Imagination Farm. Grateful for this community and for this place of refuge.
The land knows nothing of elections. This morning the flowers woke up and said hello to the sun, the okra grew a little bigger, and the water held us. Our relatives, all of our little farm creatures, continued. They did not borrow trouble. They continued to rest, to work, and to commune with each other.
And so will we.
Our team spent time this morning together, and what came to the forefront was the comfort we find in nature. We invite you to be held by the land today. Head to the lake! The river, the bayou, the Couterie Forest. The Chime Tree. Let it ground you. If you need outdoor space or to rest at the farm, DM us.
Like the living world around us, we will also continue. We continue to reject patterns of blame and shame. We reject anti-Arab, anti-Latine, and anti-Black rhetoric anywhere it exists. We continue to steward The Imagination Farm as a place for safety and sanctuary. We see your longing — and deeply feel our own. We are talking to our children and our elders. We are sending solidarity to those grieving loved ones who have not kept us safe. We remain committed to collective care, to mutual aid, to protecting trans and Indigenous folks who have persisted and reimagined the world many times over. We are already thinking about how to continue holding and growing space for each other in the days to come. We are continuing. Continue with us. ❤️
——-
Photo descriptions in the comments.
We acknowledge how folks are feeling right now... and as always, our response is to reach for each other. We resist fear, confusion, and isolation by instead protecting each other, sharing information, staying connected, and practicing collective care and joy even when it’s hard.
At the Southern Movement Assembly last month, we doubled down on a plan to protect our communities and build infrastructure through hard times across the South, including right here in coastal Louisiana. And as a group of organizers on the ground in rural, Black, Indigenous, youth, Muslim, worker, and trans and queer communities, we anticipate different levels of intimidation, misinformation, and crisis in the coming weeks. Regardless of the outcome of the elections, we know we will need each other.
HERE’S HOW TO PLUG IN:
✅ Join the State of the South call this Wednesday 10/30 (bit.ly/StateOfTheSouthSeries)
✅ Sign on to Get Ready with us! (bit.ly/getreadytaskforce)
✅ And stay ready for the long haul!
MORE INFO:
At the State of the South call, we’ll discuss what we’re seeing across the South, what our plan is for the rest of this year and 2025, and ways you can plug in or get support with what you’re seeing, too. This call also introduces the Get Ready Task Force, a short-term plan (with long-term impacts) to share resources, support on-the-ground organizing, communicate useful political analysis, and coordinate efforts across the region. As Imagine Water Works, we are helping to lead the Community Readiness Team and Action Labs, where we’ll share what threats folks are seeing and will skill each other up accordingly. We invite organizations, community groups, and worker assemblies to join or collaborate with the Get Ready Taskforce to support existing infrastructure to protect, defend, and organize our communities towards a liberated future.
#SouthernPeoplesPower
@southernpeoplespower @projectsouthatl @spirithouse_inc @ncbloc @highlandercenter @blknshassembly @freeheartsorg @ignitekindred stayproject @peoplesbudgetbhm @alternateroots @powhrcoalition @lrfreedomfund
We were in Little Rock with the Southern Movement Assembly when Hurricane Helene made landfall. Instead of supporting folks across the Louisiana bayous through the storm, we found ourselves supporting our friends across Appalachia... sharing our experiences, lessons learned, and what we know now almost 20 years after Hurricane Katrina.
Since landfall, as a mutual aid organization we’ve found ourselves in a major support role, in conversation daily with others who are taking care of folks from Louisiana to North Carolina and beyond. “How are supplies sourced? What legal protections are needed? What should folks expect 2 days out, 2 weeks out, and 2 years out? What supplies will people need later? How do we make our mutual aid idea actionable? How should we word this offer or request?” We’ve been answering these questions and more, and while it doesn’t make for a flashy social media post or fundraising campaign, the work is real and vital.
At the same time, we’ve continued to steward The Imagination Farm as a space where those most impacted by climate change can explore, imagine, and share solutions for our future. We’ve continued to care for ourselves, to feed ourselves, to go to therapy, to go for walks...
We know this current moment requires so much more than a quick, easy plan or “program”. It requires deep, long term, multigenerational care. We know we must remain grounded and focused through struggle. We must continue to care courageously, in the background and in the foreground – and to prioritize connection and relationship to ourselves, each other, and the land. We know that it is possible. And we will continue to dream, to act, and to get free.
We stand with the International Longshoremen’s Association, alongside @southernpeoplespower, and in solidarity for fair pay at our ports. We especially stand with the 700+ workers in New Orleans who will be going on this historic strike tomorrow, should a deal not be reached by midnight — and we reject all media propaganda that places the blame on workers instead of on corporate greed.
People over profit. Always.
NOW TIL 6PM: We’re still distributing the following at The Imagination Farm (2718 Painters Street). Stop on by!
*ice
*ice chests
*DampRid (to help with moisture in your house/car)
*ready to eat meals
*nutritional shakes
*coloring books
*sunscreen
*bug repellent
*cooling gel bandanas
*5 gallon water containers
*New Orleans Community Resource Guides
*good vibes
We also welcome folks who want to pick up any of these supplies and take them down into the bayous to come load up.
Wanting to support? Donate to Hurricane Francine Relief at donorbox.org/francine or learn more about our work at www.imaginewaterworks.org.
FRIDAY: 12-6pm at The Imagination Farm (2718 Painters Street) *UPDATE*
We’ll be distributing DampRid to help soak up moisture from flooded cars/rooms, nutritional shakes for older kids, cooling gel bandanas to help with the heat, and ice.
Please note that this distribution is a chill one. We will be hanging out at the farm and cleaning up our tree damage, and we’re hoping to talk with folks and build community, too. Distribution is *while supplies last* and we have received very limited donations, so we do expect to run out. We’ll update this post when that happens!
We are also accepting supplies donations at the farm during this time (individual items and pallets). Please only bring items that you feel would be helpful in a power outage or flood cleanup situation. If you are looking to purchase items to donate, we recommend DampRid, cleaning supplies, ice, and fans. We will not be able to accept clothing or food that has been opened.
To support this work DONATE to donorbox.org/francine or VENMO @imaginewaterworks and @belowsealevelaid
TOMORROW: 12-6pm at The Imagination Farm (2718 Painters Street)
We’ll be distributing DampRid to help soak up the water, nutritional shakes for older kids, and cooling gel bandanas to help with the heat.
Please note that this distribution is a chill one. We will be hanging out at the farm and are hoping to talk with folks and build community, too. Distribution is *while supplies last* and we have received very limited donations, so we do expect to run out. We’ll update this post when that happens!
We are also accepting supplies donations at the farm during this time (individual items and pallets). Please only bring items that you feel would be helpful in a power outage or flood cleanup situation. If you are looking to purchase items to donate, we recommend more DampRid, other cleaning supplies, and fans. We will not be able to accept clothing or food that has been opened.
DM us with questions or text 504-858-0200.
To support this work DONATE to donorbox.org/francine or VENMO @imaginewaterworks.
The COMMUNITY POWER MAP is LIVE. Join the map via our website or at bit.ly/powernola.
ABOUT THE MAP: Community Power Stations are places to charge your devices and/or access wi-fi while the power’s out. In the spirit of mutual aid, the stations are hosted on a volunteer basis by neighbors, organizations, and businesses across the greater New Orleans area. Get power, share power!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE: The map is open to anyone in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parish. Anyone is welcome to visit a power station and invited to add yours to the map. The more folks who join, the more useful the map will be.
Every location is verified as a safe place for LGBTQ and BIPOC individuals before being added to the map.
This is a truly people powered mutual aid effort, and together yall have already powered ~300 stations through Hurricane Zeta and Ida. Let’s do what we do ✊⚡️
DONATE to the Hurricane Francine Fund at donorbox.org/francine or Venmo @imaginewaterworks to support our work.
*Our power is going in and out now, so please spread the word if we happen to be offline soon.*
So far, for Hurricane Francine specifically, we have:
🔹Kept folks updated and prepared with informed storm tips
🔹Launched 24/7 Q&As to share knowledge together
🔹Facilitated the Imagine Mutual Aid group
🔹Prepared to launch the Community Power Map
🔹Organized extensively behind the scenes
🔹Distributed emergency supplies out of The Imagination Farm
🔹Assembled and delivered emergency kits in English and Spanish to neighbors in Gretna, New Orleans East, Upper 9th Ward, Black Pearl, Central City, and Carrollton
We do this work because this is our home. We were here long before Francine and know that we’ll be here long after. We also know the path to dignity through climate crisis is one that requires intention, investment, and diligent work beyond bandaids. As you look to boost efforts, please consider supporting long term, Native-led, grassroots organizing that resources folks AND builds reliable, local networks of safety and solidarity at the same time.
See yall on the other side of the storm. ❤️✊
COMMUNITY POWER MAP UPDATE: For those asking, yes!, we will again launch our Community Power Map in response to Hurricane Francine if power goes out for an extended period of time. Stay tuned for updates on the map through all of our social media channels.
ABOUT THE MAP: Community Power Stations are places to charge your devices and/or access wi-fi while the power’s out. In the spirit of mutual aid, the stations are hosted on a volunteer basis by neighbors, organizations, and businesses across the greater New Orleans area. Get power, share power!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE: The map will be open to anyone in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parish. Once launched, anyone is welcome to use and join the map.
We will ask:
⚡️Your Name
⚡️Address of your Community Power Station
⚡️Is your location Residential, a Business, or an Organization?
⚡️Is there seating available?
⚡️Is your station a safe space for LGBTQ and BIPOC individuals?
⚡️Include any other important information about your setup and/or a picture if you have one.
Lastly, you’ll be encouraged to add additional supplies to your station if you’d like. In the past, some neighbors have shared snacks, candy, baby wipes, water, and more.
This is a truly people powered mutual aid effort, and together yall have already powered ~300 stations through Hurricane Zeta and Ida ✊⚡️
FRANCINE UPDATE: Here’s what we specifically encourage New Orleanians to do *tonight* to prepare for the storm. (Ahem, you finished the list from earlier today, right? 😉)
1. Park your car on higher ground: Parking restrictions have been lifted, which means you can park on the neutral ground. It will soon be unsafe to drive, as winds are rolling in and some red lights are already not working.
2. Charge devices: Phones, computers, radios, battery packs, etc. Typically, we plug our stuff into a surge protector now and leave it plugged in.
3. Fill water containers: This can include jugs, cups (put them in your freezer!), pots.
4. Shower and fill tub with water: This water can be used later to flush your toilet, take a sponge bath, and keep cool.
5. Locate candles and flashlights: Make sure you have a lighter handy!
6. Sign up for emergency alerts: Text NOLAREADY to 77295.
7. Chill: Cook a nice meal, put on music or your favorite show, have a beverage, send your bestie TikToks.
PLEASE NOTE: We are still not recommending evacuation for most people. It is nearing time to stay put. DO NOT plan on driving around tomorrow. However, there is still a significant possibility that this storm will leave us without power. If you are caring for anyone (including yourself!) who extreme heat may be particularly dangerous for, you may want to consider evacuating, but please note that we recommend doing so within the next few hours. It will be unsafe if you wait.
OFFER: Nutrition shakes and cooling gel bandanas + additional supplies as needed
We are here at The Imagination Farm (2718 Painters Street) until 6:30pm TODAY. If you’d like to add nutrition shakes to your storm prep kit, come on over! These shakes are technically for kids, but they’re packed with protein and vitamins, and we grown-ups also drink them in a pinch...
We also have various additional supplies available for those who need them. DM us if you plan on stopping by, and we can put a quick kit together for you, as supplies last.
If you’re on Facebook, you can also find us anytime in the “Imagine Mutual Aid (New Orleans)” group, where neighbors help neighbors.
Everyone is welcome! But please note that all of this work is led by trans and two-spirit, Indigenous folks. Most of us are from here, doing our best to take care of the land and resources that we are stewards of. We will always prioritize safety for BIPOC and LGBTQ folks, and we will always bring others (that includes all of you!) along with us. ❤️
Storm Prep Q&A: Round Two is LIVE. Come ask questions, vent, or yell into the question box — we feel you. We’ll yell with you, give you storm prep tips from the pros, share sandbag locations, whatever you need.
We are still expecting to shelter in place for Tropical Storm Francine and encourage folks to continue preparing for street flooding. By this evening, parking bans will be lifted, so start scoping out where you might bring your car if your street typically floods.
We are also still offering support to groups and local businesses who use their spaces to help others after a storm. If this is you, and you are concerned about flooding, reach out ASAP so we can drop off some supplies to help keep you dry.
Swipe for a recap of some of what you asked in Round One!
FRANCINE UPDATE: Storm prep doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. Here’s what we specifically encourage New Orleanians to do *today* to prepare for the storm. If you know that your home floods during rain events, also add sandbag prep to this list. We’ll update you again later with what to do tonight.
PLEASE NOTE: We are not recommending evacuation for most people. However, there is a significant possibility that this storm will leave us without power. If you are caring for anyone (including yourself!) who extreme heat may be particularly dangerous for, you may want to consider evacuating. If you are worried that the heat may be dangerous for you or someone in your household, and you cannot evacuate, DM us ASAP or email klie@imaginewaterworks.org.
SANDBAG LOCATIONS TUESDAY, 11am - 3pm or until supplies run out:
Dryades YMCA (2220 OC Haley)
St. Maria Goretti Church (7300 Crowder Blvd)
St. Leo the Great (2916 Paris Ave)
Desire/Florida Center (3250 Industry St)
Arthur Monday Center (1111 Newton St)
*Note that the above distributions are hosted by the City of New Orleans. We are just helping to spread the word.*
BONUS TIPS FROM OUR HURRICANE GUIDE: Always place a layer of trash bags and/or tarps under the sandbags to prevent leakage. If you can’t get sandbags, potting soil works. After the storm, repurpose it in the garden. Read the full guide on our website in English or Spanish.
IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER, MUTUAL AID HUB, OR GATHERING SPACE at risk of street flooding, DM us! We want to help keep you dry + ready to help others after the storm. This can include bars and restaurants, local businesses, etc. Y’all are our first responders.
Our Storm Prep Q&A for Francine is live in our Instagram Story! Here’s how it works: (1) You ask us a question (2) We either answer with what we already know, or we find the answer for you (3) We share your question anonymously, and our answer, so we can learn together.
No question is wrong! It can be logistical, about the storm itself, about how to do a specific prep step, evacuation decisions, or just about how we’re feeling.
All of our responses are fact checked and combine lived with trained experience on storms in Louisiana, as well as Indigenous ways of knowing this land and advice from our Maw Maws and Paw Paws.
We are calm and monitoring Tropical Storm Francine, and we encourage folks to begin preparing for street flooding (regardless of where the final cone lands) and a Cat 1 hurricane. We’ll also be launching our Q&A soon and are happy to answer all of your questions there. We promise to, as always, give you accurate, informed, and home grown answers — without the fear and extra trauma, and sometimes with a joke or two for relief. New Orleans style.
That’s the vibe of our hurricane guide (available in English and Spanish), which is 20-30 pages and updated every year. This year’s guide includes more information about watches versus warnings and advice for caregivers of children. Please help your friends prepare by spreading the word about both translations of the guide. 💜💚💛
This week we assembled and delivered Spanish hurricane kits to neighbors across New Orleans East, working with local schools to prioritize families with the greatest need.
Each kit contained: a waterproof container and folder, cooling gel bandanas, an emergency solar/crank radio, a high quality battery pack for charging phones and fans, a 5-gallon reusable water jug, coloring books and markers, a deck of cards, a 7-day candle and lighter, DampRid, sunscreen and 72 hours of food (for a family of four) with a can opener from @cultureaidnola, bug repellent from @louisianajustrecovery, and nutritional shakes from @gnocaringcollective. We also included a copy of the New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance and Renewal to help increase access to free and low-cost services, as well as Spanish versions of our 2024 Hurricane Guide, Storm Prep Checklist, and Waterproof Folder Checklist.
Download your own copy of any of our prep materials via our website – and please spread the word to other Spanish speaking folks that these resources are home grown and available online any time.
Special shoutout to our Language Access Coordinator, Ale, for making year two of #PrepTheEast possible!
Hi! I used to talk more directly with yall on here quite often, but social media is such a wild place (and honestly, I’m a human living a very human life). I wanted to check in today though because, whew, I’m seeing so many Katrina posts on our 19th anniversary. A lot of them are scary, and sad, and I know you may be feeling heavy today — and that’s okay. That being said, I’m wondering what brings you comfort? Let yourself take that nap, make a little pot of tea, go see a friend, head to your favorite water spot.
In the spirit of taking care of ourselves and each other today and throughout the rest of hurricane season, here’s joy at the lake, a few quotes that have resonated recently, and some pieces from the “Queer/Trans Guide to Storms” zine that have been helping me feel more whole today.
Seeing your grief and sending much joy and love through it,
— Klie
*All zine artists have been tagged and are local queer/trans folks who have been through a storm before. Please support their work 💖
Loved spending time with y’all, nerding out about storm supplies and sharing how we keep each other safe through storms. We also got to distribute dozens of emergency solar/crank/battery radios, resource guides, hurricane prep checklists, and cooling gel bandanas to folks in Desire.
Thank you for inviting us to collab, Small And Mighty Land Cooperative!
Last week at July Supply with @cultureaidnola we distributed extra-durable copies of the 2024 New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance and Renewal to 400 families, alongside more fresh food, contact solution, laundry kits, and information about the Sun Bucks program from @louisianadcfs which offers $120 per kid to buy groceries throughout the summer. In case you missed it, here’s what you can do:
✅ Check out the “2024 New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance and Renewal” on our website, available for download and print now.
✅ Contact klie@imaginewaterworks.org to pick up your own copy of the resource guide from The Imagination Farm.
✅ Learn about and apply for the Sun Bucks program at www.dcfs.louisiana.gov, or share the info with others.
See you again tomorrow at #JulySupply for our last Weather Preparedness Wednesday! Tomorrow’s distribution will include fresh food, shelf stable dry food to store for storms, pet food, cooling bandanas, more laundry kits, and IWW’s Hurricane Prep Checklists in English and Spanish.
This week at July Supply with @cultureaidnola we distributed our 2024 Hurricane Guide to 400 families, alongside more fresh food, shelf stable food, sunscreen, and natural bug repellent! In case you missed it, here’s what you can do:
✅ Check out the “2024 Hurricane Guide” on our website, available in English and Spanish.
✅ Remind your friends about The Coin Trick and set yours up now: Fill a cup with water, and freeze it. After it’s frozen, put a coin on top. Keep the cup in your freezer all season. If the power goes out for a long time while you’re away, the water in your cup will melt and the coin will sink to the bottom. That way, you’ll know whether your food is safe to eat when you come back home.
✅ Keep following our social media for tips in English and Spanish throughout storm season, and share with others so they can get prepared too.
*The tips above were pulled from our updated 2024 Hurricane Guide, available on our website.*
See you again next week at #JulySupply for another fun (and hopefully more dry) Weather Preparedness Wednesday! Next week’s distribution will include fresh food, shelf stable dry food, laundry packs, contact lens solution, and printed copies of the New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance and Renewal.
Last week at July Supply with @cultureaidnola we distributed waterproof folders to 400 families! In case you missed it, here’s what you can do:
✅ Check out the “Waterproof Folder Checklist” on our website, available in English and Spanish.
✅ Use thick ziplock bags, purchase a waterproof envelope or bag online ($10-$40, just make sure it is *actually* waterproof!), or ask if anyone has extra bags in the “Imagine Mutual Aid - New Orleans” group on Facebook (link in bio).
✅ In a pinch, you can use your dishwasher for additional water *resistant* storage, but please note that it is not completely waterproof and will not hold up to significant flooding.
*The tips above were pulled from our updated 2024 Hurricane Guide, now also available on our website.*
See you again soon at #JulySupply for another fun Weather Preparedness Wednesday! This week’s distribution will include fresh food, plus a shelf stable dry food box, laundry packs, contact lens solution, and “Cold Kits” with information about keeping medicine and breastmilk cold when the power’s out (in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese).
Storm Prep Q&A: Tropical Storm Beryl
How it works: (1) We launch an anonymous Q&A in our Instagram Stories every time there’s a named storm in the Gulf. This does not automatically mean it’s a threat to us in New Orleans — it simply means that we know there is a storm out there, and you may have questions about it. (2) You share/ask what’s on your mind, scream into the void/question box, whatever helps. It can be truly anything! (3) We respond with thoughts, tips, and information from natives who have been through many storms before, meteorologists, and emergency management professionals.
We’ve done this for every named storm over the past six years, and we aren’t going anywhere. You can check out old Q&A’s in our pinned stories, but be gentle with yourself and your anxiety, and remember that every storm is different.
*If Instagram stories don’t work for you for any reason, you can also ask us questions in our DMs or on Facebook in the Imagine Mutual Aid (New Orleans) group.
That’s it. That’s the post.
[A photo of a flower, with text that reads: “We aren’t going to post anything scary or triggering about Hurricane Beryl. Y’all know the threats we are facing. We plan to continue sharing resources and reminding you that we have each other, as always.”]
It’s #JulySupply time! We’ve partnered with @cultureaidnola again this year to distribute food and storm prep items and information every Wednesday this month, weather permitting: 6pm @ 1835 St. Roch. No ID required.
This week’s distribution includes CAN’s year-round fresh food, plus a shelf stable dry food box, small disaster kit, waterproof boot covers, and a waterproof folder with information on what to keep safe and dry (in Spanish and English).
More about IWW’s waterproof folders: We released our first “what to pack in your waterproof folder” checklist in 2017 and, because of your donations, were able to pair the checklist with actual folder distributions in early 2022 to Queer/Trans Youth NOLA, Fund The People NOLA, and others. Items on the checklist range from “proof of residence and court documents” to “family photos and heirloom seeds” and are recommended by natives with lived experience, emergency management professionals, and lawyers who have navigated legal issues post-disaster.
Preparing our team so we can keep passing y’all accurate storm information!
We attended the first-ever #LADisasterLawSummit this past weekend in Lafayette and left feeling even more grounded in why and how we do what we do, working to build our own systems of care and resource those of us who are pushed to the margins before, during, and after a disaster. Here’s some of what was shared about this hurricane season, impacts on elderly and disabled folks, communicating about pets, and FEMA. #BelowTheBoudinLine
Thank you for our new cypress bar top, Dave and Cindy! This one should last us a long time.
The Imagination Farm exists as a mutual aid hub and a place for hope, healing, and imagination even when things are hard. It’s also a place to tinker and experiment - if you’d like to contribute a project or idea to the farm (structural, art skills, a plant, something weird to add to the garden, you name it), hit us up! *Swipe for the “before” pic.
APPLY BY JUNE 30: We are thrilled to announce the launch of the New Orleans Community Urban Agriculture Micro-grant fund! This fund will award micro-grants of $500 to $10,000 each (for a total of $500,000) to local growers and is meant to support the development of New Orleans area agriculture, make infrastructure investments in traditionally underserved producers, and generally connect farmers to the services that our new USDA Urban Service Center offers. Applications open this coming Wednesday and are due June 30th.
This is a great opportunity for farmers who are interested in expanding the growth of their farm in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.
Imagine Water Works is grateful to have helped build this effort as part of the funding committee, and we’re excited to see the positive impact it will have on our local farming community. Thank you, @sproutnola, for leading the way!
For more information check out Sprout’s website or see the link in our bio.
