On the first day of the ILCA conference, we loaded ourselves into a couple tour buses and, accompanied by two local union activists who served as tour guides--an electrician in one bus, a plumber in the other--saw what Katrina had done to the City of New Orleans. Along the way our tour guides shared their personal experiences, but also talked about the impact of the storm and its aftermath on the social fabric, on the labor movement, and on the future prospects for the city. As we traveled, it began to rain, and at moments it somehow it felt like we were transported back within the experience of our tour guide to within the storm. We also visited St. Bernard's public housing project, and heard from an extraordinary woman, a former occupant, describe her efforts to get St. Bernard's open again for occupancy.