Southern Leadership Conference in Senator Circle

By: Howard J. Castay, Jr.

Rev. Al Sharpton never showed as local and regional leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference called for cooperation between residents of Senator Circle and the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority.

They rallied on Friday in front of the Operations and Maintenance Building in Houma’s predominately African-American development, but had a smaller audience and a different
message than a previous rally held at the same site on Oct 2.

There, the members of the SCLC said they would turn Houma in to the next Jena, if Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority Director Wayne Thibodeaux was not removed from office. Also, they drew a list of demands which included provisions for alternative housing for Senator Circle residents while the housing authority repairs their units, and stipulations that no rent or utilities be paid, until all repairs are made.

They also announced that Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, would be attendance at the next protest.

On Friday, rumors circulated in a small crowd that began gathering around 4:30 p.m. that Sharpton was in town and was meeting at a local attorney’s office with Rev. Vincent Fusilier, Terrebonne Parish Councilman Alvin Tillman, Housing Authority Maintenance Director Troy Johnson, and Thibodeaux.

But shortly after 5 p.m., Terrebonne SCLC President Rev. Vincent Fusilier, arrived and told the crowd help was on the way after having had a successful meeting with Thibodeaux. “You may have to move to a different place for a while so that a professional can come here and clean it, we don’t want anyone getting sick…The Housing Authority is going to find proper housing for you, and we’re not leaving until you have a place to live, and you’re not leaving until you have a place to live.”

Fusilier is also pastor of the New St. Matthews Baptist Church in Houma. “I also want to assure you that the fight is not over. We’ve have a bigger fish to fry, and the fish is FEMA…but allow Mr. Thibodeaux to do what his boss allows him to do.” (Watch Pastor Fusilier's comments at http://www.breezebytes.com/. Click the video with his photo).

Rev. Marie Galatas, Louisiana Women’s Coordinator of the SCLC, and Pastor of New Creation Christian Church in New Orleans, backed Fusilier. “FEMA should not play us cheap. We’re going to see that FEMA gets you what’s rightfully yours!”

Rev. Raymond Brown, president of the New Orleans chapter of the National Action Network, explained Sharpton could not appear because of “legal complications” due to an arrest earlier this year, while protesting the not-guilty verdict of New York Police officers who shot Sean Bell of Queens.

However, he read pre-prepared message from the civil rights activist which said, “I will be here next time to join you in your struggle.”

Rev. Dr. Norwood Thompson, Jr, president of the New Orleans Chapter of the SCLC, said he just marvels at out “…people are crying for help and they’re not getting it.”

Houma-Terrebonne Parish Housing Authority Commissioner Brenda Belcher was the only member of the administration to attend the rally. (Attempts to reach Director Wayne Thibodeaux have been unsuccessful as of press time.)

Belcher called for an end to all of the confusion regarding the help and recovery needed in Senator Circle. “Confusion, we don’t need. We were born in confusion.”

Afterward, Belcher said that Thibodeaux “Cannot do anymore than what he is doing. I don’t see any reason why they want him to resign. He is only one individual and he has steps and a chain of command to follow within his job.”

In short, “Mr. Thibodeaux has tried and is trying to help them,” Belcher said. (To watch Ms. Belcher's comments during the press conference, visit http://www.breezebytes.com/, and look for her video.

Parish Councilman Alvin Tillman also promised that he would be with the crowd “until the end.”

“I’ve been in contact with Congressman Charlie Melancon’s office and he would see what he could do to send help to the area. We’ve been in talks with FEMA. We’re going to get you safe and healthy housing, and we’re going to expedite this process,” Tillman said.

Telisa Clark, vice-president of the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority Resident Council, confirmed there was a meeting at local attorney Kevin Thompson’s office, and that she was not allowed inside.

“I don’t know why, but they would not let me in the meeting. My job is to represent the residents,” Clark said. “The president of our group, Alvin Livas, had a heart attack and is in the hospital. He can’t be there, but I should have been.” she said.

Clark said that she and her husband Kevin had just returned to the area, after having evacuated with 19 non-family members. “Mr. Thibodeaux is continuing to help, but he has limited resources”

“Frankly, I don’t feel that that all of this confusion has been necessary… too many people assumed too many things that are and were going on,” she said, adding that many of residents have refused to leave their homes to use hotel vouchers, because they do not want to leave the area.

Still, residents said their units still reek of sewage, mold infestation and have no power.
Angela Welch, who has been living in Senator Circle for one year, said her unit has mold and she has a child with asthma. She evacuated to Bunkie, La.

Pearly Welch, her sister, who is a four year resident of Senator Circle, said her unit has mold as well. She evacuated to Hinesville Georgia.

Kilben Lafont, a resident of Bayou Towers, another Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority development, this one predominately white, was also in attendance at the rally.

“Mr. Thibodeaux is working hard at getting us up and running,” Lafont said.

He explained that Bayou Towers is also closed, because the roof over the 11th floor came off, and rain leaked throughout the building. “I’m more fortunate than other people, and am living with my brother.”

It should be noted that although the housing developments are federal property, a housing authority director in another area who has been said watching the scenario in Senator Circle, said that as in his town, the local government receives revenues from the federal government – a pilot tax, on sewerage and utilities. “Terrebonne Parish government should be assisting the housing authority,” the director said, who asked that their identity be withheld.