Very simply, without Pam Dashiell, the Make It Right Foundation would not be helping Lower 9th Ward families to rebuild their lives and community.
In post-Katrina recovery efforts, Pam was a central and galvanizing force, encouraging others and seizing the opportunity to turn a devastated landscape into a model for disaster recovery and sustainable living for the city of New Orleans, the rest of the country and even communities around the world. In her chosen role as a champion of sustainability and with her passion for forwarding her vision to “sustain the 9,” she encouraged volunteers like Brad Pitt and experts from around the world to convene in the neighborhood to implement innovative redevelopment opportunities.
I first met Pam in January of 2007 while working on a feasibility analysis for Brad Pitt’s concept for building green, affordable houses on a large scale in the Lower 9th. Brad and Pam worked closely together on the Global Green architecture competition, and his work with that project and with community leaders like Pam inspired him to want to do even more for the Lower 9th. Despite having attended hundreds of post-Katrina planning meetings by that time, Pam agreed to attend the first community meeting we held in March of 2007 at the Common Ground Relief house after I promised her that we would take her advice: “Don’t just plan; DO something!” But by that I certainly don’t mean to imply that Pam was weary of attending meetings. In fact, following that meeting, Pam and other community leaders continued to meet weekly and formed the Lower 9th Ward Stakeholders Coalition. However, in contrast to her unwavering determination, had it not been for Pam’s encouragement to stick with it when the going got tough, I may have abandoned our rebuilding efforts too soon.If I had to choose one word to describe Pam, it would be dependable. She attended every meeting and event we held, and we could always count on her to speak on behalf of the entire Lower 9th Ward. Even as recently as three weeks ago at the Greenbuild conference in Phoenix, Pam moderated a panel discussion on the joint Make It Right and Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development “Community Beyond Housing” project, which is building over 30 community gardens at the Village, MLK school, the Make It Right site, the Bayou Platform, and other places around the neighborhood. A special part of that project close to Pam’s heart was the Landscape Resource Depot, a community garden growing native plantings available to anyone living in the Lower 9th, along with a cypress sapling staging area for wetlands restoration in the Bayou. In Pam’s memory and in honor of her dedication to the sustainable rebuilding of the community, this site will henceforth be known as the “Pam’s Place.”
Executive Director
Make It Right Foundation
