Reclaiming A Brighter Future For Baton Rouge
by Marie Constantin & Erik Sampson
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies”
This is what young men taking ownership of their future and community
looks like!
(watch the 1 min video)
Neglected, abandoned, abused, and thought to be unworthy… for decades, this is how Baton Rouge viewed Capitol Lake.
While Hooded Mergansers flew in from the Ohio River Valley and Ring-necked ducks came down from Alaska and Maine and the Great Lakes to winter on her shores, Baton Rouge didn’t recognize this jewel and even turned a blind eye. Meanwhile, the untreated storm drains from the Northdale canal dumped an average of 41 bags of litter per month on her shores, making the lake too unsightly to visit.
For 16 months, the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition organized the longest non-stop cleanup operation Capitol Lake has ever seen, picking up a whopping 1,200 bags of litter from her shores. Six hundred of the bags were pulled out of the wetland area north of the lake.
When Coach J’ (Co-Founder of Providence Road) learned of the efforts Marie Constantin and the Stormwater Coalition were putting into the seemingly insurmountable project, he was inspired to join their struggle.
Considering the two organizations’ efforts in the community, it’s hard to miss the parallel of values that act as the core motivation of both the Stormwater Coalition and Providence Road.
Neglected, abandoned, and with no advocates for their true strength, the youth of Providence Road are learning what it takes to reclaim their neighborhoods through service and taking ownership. Providence Road is stepping into every opportunity to connect these youth with the people in this city who share the value for reclaiming potential.
“It was a perfect match,” said Constantin. “They wanted to teach their guys that when you pull together in teams, you help your community, and you get a lot done, and we needed volunteers.”
“What made the partnership perfect is that we could give back to the guys by showing them how adults solve difficult problems,”
The shared mission of the StormWater Coalition and Providence Road became even more evident as, week after week, the youth of Providence Road showed up to aid in the effort to transform the landscape of Capitol Lake.
“To date, our guys, working with Ms. Marie, have rolled out 328 tires, removed two toilets, a couch, numerous large items, 50 bags of litter, and hauled two boats up out of a ravine,”
—Cole Erno, (Director of Programs at Providence Road)
Additionally, on May 12th, the youth of Providence Road joined Constantin on a trip to the State Legislature to meet Senator Franklin Foil. The Coalition proposed a resolution to study funding sources for capturing litter out of stormwater before it ruins a watershed. Thanks to Senator Foil who sponsored the bill, the resolution was successfully passed.
“Because of the research our Coalition did in Florida with how they solved their litter-in-the watershed problems, I knew we could easily intercept the 41 bags per month if we could convince leaders we needed equipment. Meanwhile, the guys could participate in the cleanup in the surrounding industrial area surrounding the lake, and when we get the litter capturing equipment, they would be part of solving a decades-old problem,” Constantin says.
“These guys are along for a wonderful ride with a front-row seat on how you solve problems. What I love is that they see me on Tuesdays dressed in jeans picking up litter with them, and then they get to see me and the team advocate for a fix."
The symbolism of seeing youth from North Baton Rouge take ownership of Capital Lake is hard to miss. Furthermore, the action of joining the Stormwater Coalition at the capitol offers a glimpse into the potential impact felt when the most neglected of our community are empowered to address the most abused areas of our city.
Province Road’s youth, much like the hidden gems of our city, represent the hidden opportunity for Baton Rouge to have a brighter future. A future where our city’s greatest resources are both protected and sustained, like the ‘Cathedrals of Beauty’ they are.
To read more about the vital work of Marie and her team at the Stormwater Coalition follow the link to www.louisianastormwater.com
