Some friends of yours and mine have established a little group in New York City called NYCNOLA HELP. Our Mission Statement is "To provide the displaced residents of New Orleans and other communities a communications resource, to re-establish a sense of neighborhood and build a website to that effect." The website is nycnolahelp.org. Hopefully, you've seen it and found it useful. We are doing this because we miss you and can't watch the news anymore. The website contains a database of contact information pooled by the volunteers of NYCNOLAHELP and some standard relief related links. It also contains benefit and relief event listings here in New York City. This newsletter is being put forth in conjunction with the above website and www.whyiloveneworleans.com. What we are aiming for in particular is to get some good news out there, share some of your bright and optimistic spirit, and spread some comfort and cheer. We also mean to let you know about your neighbors that you may not be able to reach.

In doing so, we are well aware that reading news and updates has become a tedious and ongoing task for all folks affected by the hurricane. In our best efforts to keep it light and effervescent, please remember, we've been living with a bunch of Yankees, indeed, New Yorkers, for god knows how long. One of our aspects that we most want to convey here is that we are proud and happy to be from New Orleans, we want to help. We will shore up this little network and share it with you; we will broaden it and continue to do whatever we can to re-establish the sense of community that is temporarily suspended. For my part, I've been eating Alison Gootee's red beans and rice and drinking rapidly through the stock of CDM Coffee and Chicory my brother, Scott, brought up when he came to visit.

I've been talking with and listening to my fellow New York New Orleanians, and through this newsletter, you'll probably meet them all if you don't know them yet. I've been emailing back and forth my family, and this is the forum that I will post their strong and courageous evacuation updates. Here you'll find the meaningful and inspiring story of a family member's buoyant reconciliation with his new life as well his doubts, expectations and concerns.

Accept this opening statement as a call to submit anything you see fitting. Send me your anticipation, your trepidation, your fears and send me your hope, your optimism, your joy. Send me anything you want to share with your neighbors, friends, New Orleanians. Know that we are committed to you and your every move and when we can, we will get down there and be with you.

September 10th 2005

Joshua L. Mayer of New Orleans, known as DJ Ooah, along with his colleagues in the LA DJ world came together to produce a relief event party for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The show, held on the night of Thursday, September 8th, was a tremendous success. Hosted at the Mor Bar in Santa Monica, CA, the event packed the house to capacity and raised $8000. The funds that we raised where matched by Napster which enabled the New Orleans supporters to turn a small intimate club vibe into an effective fundraising night. All proceeds are being given to the American Red Cross for disaster relief. Mayer, in an email correspondence, gives gratitude and credit to many of the individuals and organizations that made this fantastic showing possible.

“Many thanks are in order for last night! First off I want to thank The Crystal Method, Simply Jeff, the Boom Box at the Mor Bar for all their support and commitment for last night's show. Also, kudos to ESDJCO for kicking down the freebies for everyone. The plan was hatched one week ago, and everyone came together to make it happen! Secondly, I also want to extend a special thank you to all the people, club promoters, and web site peeps that helped spread the word at the last minute! John Day, Red, Bijou Breaks, and Danceblogga in particular for their generous promotional push. And last, but by no means least, special thanks to those who came out last night and danced in the name of a good cause.”

Joshooah (Mayer), RobTronik and Oscure are underway on other exciting and effective relief projects as well. Visit www.labadj.com to get in touch with the DJs and to find out the details on what else they are up to.