Sunday was the final day of the CGI U weekend, and all 700 students were in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, the area hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina. What was once a neighborhood is now little more than a barren field littered with cinder blocks and debris.
It was shocking to see firsthand how little had been rebuilt in the past two and a half years. But yesterday two organizations came together to bring the Lower Ninth Ward one step closer to repair.
CGI U partnered with Brad Pitt's Make It Right organization to aid in post-Katrina reconstruction. The plan was for the students to rake leaves, dirt and debris away from sidewalks and empty lots so rebuilding could begin sometime in the fall.
Saturday was about sharing ideas, brainstorming plans and making commitments. Sunday was about making things happen. Brandon Wolff from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania put it best: "Yesterday, we were learning about what we can do to take action, and today we are actually taking action."
All work ceased as Pitt and former President Bill Clinton made the rounds, thanking everyone for their efforts.
For the students, the pairing of conversations about commitment with real action was both inspiring and motivational as they headed home, ready to bring about change.
Check out more pics after the jump.
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