P.A. Shopper Article re Hopkins Street Revitalization

Hopkins Street Revitalization, New Iberia, LA

First of all, I must make a clarification. In the last paper, the caption below the picture of Art and Bruce in his mask in the MDS trailer should have read: “Insulating is a hot job.” There was no hot tub involved!!

There is some degree of controversy as to whether the participation of Mennonite Disaster Service in the revitalization of the poverty-stricken area of Hopkins Street in New Iberia, LA. is a worthy mission. From speaking to most of our volunteers who have worked in this area, there is no doubt that helping these people has been a blessing to themselves beyond measure. One of our friends wrote in her Christmas letter “We worked in an area where the poor were barely surviving, having been born into extreme poverty, and never knowing another way of life. They simply exist, without hope, until someone takes the initiative to reach out to them.”

We are at this place in conjunction with “The Hopkins Street Revitalization Project”. Historically, the district was the hub of African American Culture in Iberia Parish, and home to many of New Iberia’s middle class Black families; teachers, railroad workers and business owners all fueled by a large and successful group of sugar cane farmers. The area began to deteriorate in the mid seventies and the process accelerated as local business were squeezed out of the capital market. The area suffers from the same urban maladies as most inner cities – drug related crime, high drop out rates, single parent female headed households, out of wedlock births, general health issues, sub par education and high unemployment. An excellent revitalization plan has been prepared to address abandoned and blighted properties and MDS has been involved in this plan providing volunteer labour.

The drive for the improvement of the conditions in the Hopkins Street area has been spearheaded by Joseph Lockwood, a former resident. Joseph grew up in this culture and is devoting his retirement to helping his neighbors and stopping this desperate cycle. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue an education. He completed high school, went to University and had a career as an engineer. Coming back to visit his old stomping grounds, he was horrified at the state of affairs on Hopkins. He put his money where his mouth is and has been instrumental in officially beginning a Task Force for the implementation of a revitalization program. His goal has been to help shape the quality of life for generations to come and “to help our community be what it ought to be”. There are many others who have a heart for this project, including retired educators, judges, corrections officers and others, as well as Juanita Lewis, the lady who started St. Joseph’s Diner to feed the hungry and has run it for the past 11 years.

The focus of the revitalization is upgrading homes, ensuring a quality education for the children of the area, self-esteem issues, youth services, supervised recreational opportunities including Boys and Girls Clubs, student assessment, K.Y.T.E. (Keeping Youth Trained and Educated), Drug and Alcohol Programs, Job Skills Training and Behavior Modification and the National Guard Youth Challenge, just to name a few.

It is unknown as to how long MDS will be sending their volunteers to assist in upgrading the state of the housing where possible, but we do know that we have been very blessed to have played a small part in this worthy project.