About Us

Record. Respond. Reflect.

Alive in Truth records life histories of people from New Orleans, Louisiana and nearby areas who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Our mission is to document individual lives, restore community bonds, and to uphold the voices, culture, rights, and history of New Orleanians.

Abe Louise Young, Director

Abe Louise Young is a poet, activist, and oral historian. A native of New Orleans' Uptown and Mid-City neighborhoods, she graduated from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, as well as Smith College, Northwestern University, and the University of Texas at Austin. She is editor of the anthology Hip Deep: Opinion, Essays, and Vision from American Teenagers. Abe Louise founded Alive in Truth from her home in Austin, TX.

Kevin Bush, Facilitator

Kevin Bush is an native of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, where his grandfather Oliver Bush, Sr. helped to integrate the public schools and parks. Before Katrina, Kevin worked as a spokesman for the grassroots group Reality Check, and worked in youth prevention issues. After spending almost twelve years in prison in Louisiana, and becoming paralyzed in a drive-by shooting, Kevin devoted himself to becoming a leader. He visited schools, prisons, and neighborhood centers to mentor young people about choosing positive paths and overcoming oppression. Kevin is also Second Chief in the Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indian Tribe.

History

Alive in Truth began on September 4th, 2005 outside the Austin Convention Center, which served as a shelter for 6,000 New Orleans residents. It is an all-volunteer effort, and continues to collect oral history and to support displaced New Orleanians. Alive in Truth was awarded a Best Of Austin Award in 2005.

See a list of our supporters.