http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-905292.mp3
Henry "Junior" Rodriguez spent his life in St. Bernard Parish, serving 32 years in political office. He became a national figure after Hurricane Katrina as an advocate for restoring not only the communities, but also the coastal areas.
In this conversation recorded March 27, 2010, he speaks with media producer Jared Serigne about the importance of barrier islands to protecting wetlands, and how to stay involved in protecting the coast - even for those not interested in political office.
ALSO: In this extended conversation, Henry "Junior" Rodriguez tells media producer Jared Serigne about the damage done to St. Bernard by Hurricane Katrina. He explains the importance of the region to the nation, and what he learned in travels about how society can protect itself from natural disasters, if people have the will.
StoryCorps New Orleans interviews were recorded by StoryCorps, a national project to record and collect stories of everyday people. This excerpt was selected and produced by WWNO producer Eileen Fleming, with support from the WWNO Productions Fund and from Villere & Co., managing the investments of New Orleans' families for almost 100 years. Listen again at wwno.org or at nola.com.
