New Orleanians encountered one obstacle after another as they rebuilt their city after Katrina. Urban food access became a problem for many neighborhoods, especially those with low income.
Lower 9th Ward resident BurnellCotlan saw this problem troubling his community, so he built The Lower 9th Ward Market. His mother, Lillie, helped him along the way.
As they continue to grow the store, Burnell and Lillie plan to install services that are unavailable in the Lower 9th Ward — like a laundromat and notary — on the second floor of their building. This interview was recorded at StoryCorps’ mobile studio in New Orleans.
