Updates

Fall Gulf Coast Tour
View the Gulf Coast through the eyes and stories of grassroots organizations.
November 12-14, 2008
Louisiana & Mississippi

Join Twenty-First Century Foundation staff and members of the Gulf South Allied Funders (GSAF) on a tour of the Gulf Coast with grassroots community organizations
engaged in transformative rebuilding efforts.

Participants will have a chance for substantive dialogue with local leaders
who are working towards a just, equitable and sustainable recovery of the region.

For more information on the costs and logistics for the tour,
please visit our online registration site: http://falldonortour2008.eventbrite.com

Helping Those Who Make a Difference

The Twenty-First Century Foundation believes that you — through your decision to give to us — play an important role in creating positive long-term change for people on the Gulf Coast. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, community organizers representing poor and marginalized communities in the Gulf area have devoted themselves to building power for residents and winning policy victories for social and economic justice. While the challenges are great, these leaders have created substantial opportunities for local residents by engaging them in the effort to influence the policy makers who are making decisions on issues of great importance to their communities.

We are very grateful for the enduring work of these dedicated citizens and know they are making a real difference in the lives of countless people who went unaccounted for when disaster struck three years ago. We recognize that they, too, are in need of financial, professional, and personal support as they continue to do the work on the ground. Therefore, the Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF), in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Fund (GCF) and Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), established the Gulf Coast Fellowship for Community Transformation. The program will support more than 20 Fellows, who will receive a paid stipend, ongoing personal and professional development consultations, and an annual retreat for reflection and relationship building. We anticipate creating a vibrant network of community organizers and philanthropists working across the Gulf over the course of the next 3½ years. This effort is being made possible through the generous contributions of our allies at the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Art & Infrastructure

The St. Louis Bay Bridge in Mississippi, which carries U.S. I-90 between Henderson Point and Bay St. Louis, was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, isolating residents from the rest of the Coast for about 21 months. A simple trip to nearby Pass Christian, which typically took less than 10 minutes, took almost an hour after the storm. The new bridge was built with local input, and public “Call to Artists” contests were held to collect line drawings from local artists. A local sculptor had been commissioned to craft the ten winners’ work into three-dimensional brass plaques. The plaques themselves had been made from plates salvaged from the destroyed bridge. At night, the bridge is a sight to behold, with ambient lighting casting a glow into the water below, making it very good for fishing! The St. Louis Bay Bridge is now a finalist for the People’s Choice award in the America’s Transportation Award competition. You can express your opinion by voting at: http://www.americastransportationaward.org/Voting.aspx