City Lights Studio: 06.05 | New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village

Earlier this month, I took an epic vacation with 2 of my best friends from Boston. We met in New Orleans, and traveled to Austin, Vegas & LA! Needless to say, it was A-MAZING :) While I was in New Orleans, I was invited to photograph some musicians in the 9th Ward. Even though it was very quick (I had about 20 minutes with each musician), I loved the experience. I was honored hear their music and their stories and to be invited into their homes, built as part of the Habitat for Humanities Musicians’ Village post-Katrina rebuilding effort.

The story behind the village is powerful, it was "... designed to both construct a community and preserve a culture. Conceived by New Orleans natives Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis, Musicians’ Village will provide a home for both the artists who have defined the city’s culture and the sounds that have shaped the musical vernacular of the world. The core idea behind Musicians’ Village is the establishment of a community for the city’s several generations of musicians and other families, many of whom had lived in inadequate housing prior to the catastrophe and remain displaced in its aftermath. A central part of this vision is the establishment of a focal point for teaching, sharing and preserving the rich musical tradition of a city that has done so much to shape the art of the past century. The concept was quickly embraced by NOAHH, the organization that has developed a model for building single-family homes that low-income families may purchase with zero-interest financing. In keeping with its commitment to build not just homes but communities, NOAHH has given its support to an effort that redefines neighborhood revitalization."

Here's a few images from our sessions, check them out below & read more about the Musicians' Village here : www.nolamusiciansvillage.org