BLIGHTS OUT
A collective of artists, activists, and architects whose mission is to generate dialogue, art, and action that challenge inequitable development and drive land use policy in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS
Partners and Collaborators: Antenna, National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), Junebug Productions, HousingNOLA, Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC), Ole & Nu Style Fellas Social Aid and Pleasure Club, RAO Real Estate Advisory, Justice and Beyond Coalition, Crescent City Community Land Trust (CCCLT), Newcomb Art Museum at Tulane University, May Gallery & Residency, NEXT City, New Orleans Master Crafts Guild, Hidden History Tours, and Loyola Law School Human Rights Clinic.
Project Budget $100,000
Size: N/A
-
Colloqate and the rest of the Blights Out team worked with local youth to design educational materials, culminating in the creation of a living glossary newspaper document, a series of billboards and yard sign designs that call for and suggest entry points into a Truth and Reconciliation process that would redress the racist/classist/disaster capitalist policies and values imposed after Katrina
-
2014-2018
-
05 Center Community Leadership 06 Create, Protect, Reclaim Public Space 07 Cultivate Visions for Just Neighborhoods
In response, Blights Out shifted focus to an educational initiative, creating a public campaign through billboards and community events. The project unpacked issues like disaster capitalism, Louisiana's legal systems, and the economic forces shaping the city's recovery. The team worked with local youth to design educational materials, culminating in the creation of a series of billboards and yard sign designs that call for and suggest entry points into a Truth and Reconciliation process that would redress the racist/classist/disaster capitalist policies and values imposed after Katrina.. Through these efforts, Blights Out aimed to raise awareness and foster public discussion, framing the initiative as both a political and educational campaign for systemic change.
Blights Out was a research-driven project that explored the complexities of post-Katrina housing and the financial and legal challenges of rebuilding. Initially aiming to create a land trust and demonstration space, the project evolved as the team investigated the status of vacant properties in New Orleans' Upper Treme. After uncovering barriers such as familial inheritance laws and substantial demolition liens, this research revealed that many homes were financially "underwater," with significant debt making it impossible for most residents to reclaim or rebuild their properties.
