When Toni Rice clicked a link on Black Voices to see our Katrina anniversary coverage, the first thing she saw was a dead body. As the director of the New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network, it's Rice's deepest hope that this image changes to reflect the city's positive new reality.

Even though myths persist, there are no piles of rubble lining the streets even in the most damaged neighborhoods. And the few remaining FEMA trailers left are being phased out by law, on a parish-by-parish basis. The main tourist areas are clean and sparkling, and in other areas, there is growth despite its slow pace.

The black residents of New Orleans may be contending with broken homes and shattered faith in the federal government. Yet, there is something special about these citizens that gives them resilience -- their love for their hometown. If you want to couch love in quantifiable terms, Anderson Cooper has reported that the return rate to New Orleans is up to 75 percent today, from a low of 25 percent. But don't take it from me. Take it from Rice, who was born and bred in New Orleans like her parents.

"People don't leave New Orleans. We stay. That's people of all races. That's why Hurricane Katrina was so devastating. People who lost a home had no where else to go, because all their relatives lived two houses down," said Rice, who did not lose her home in the flood. The six employees she had pre-Katrina, however, all did. "They all lost their homes. It was devastating, personally and professionally. But we are moving on, focusing on rebuilding. People want to rebuild in a way that's meaningful."


And rebuilding they are. While there are still many vacant homes in New Orleans, there is rebuilding taking place in many of the poorest neighborhoods. All four of the major housing projects have been torn down and are being rebuilt as beautiful new structures. Plus, the charter school system is flourishing, as local leaders are seizing opportunity out of chaos to create the perfect educational settings for their kids.


While many have closed forever, there are black businesses that are blossoming. A consortium of local black doctors and lawyers, according to Rice, have bought large tracts of land near the Ninth Ward and have already built businesses on this strip. A performing arts center is next on the list. Liberty Bank, the largest black-owned bank in New Orleans, has actually expanded in the last four years. It has granted loans to help blacks rebuild. So why do areas like the Lower Ninth Ward remain distressed?

Madison J. Gray, a fellow BV blogger, has painted a vivid picture of what the Ninth Ward looks like today, and it is terrible. But the simple truth is that the state, city and/or federal governments cannot force the owners of these houses to renovate or sell. In many cases, according to Rice, these home owners have gone on with their lives someplace else and "are sitting on those properties, thinking these blighted homes may be worth money." For example, some believe that Hurricane Katrina and the resulting damage to the dams were a plot to get people out of the Ninth Ward so that developers could build there cheaply. They want to hold the home in case of a big payday. Others are so happy in their relocated areas that they have all but forgotten the old shells they've abandoned.


People want to blame the city government alone, but blame in this case is truly a two-way street. While there are laws on the books regarding taking over blighted homes, the city is understandably reluctant to enforce them -- I postulate, because any wide-scale effort to take over private homes by force would be a PR nightmare. In addition, for many of the vacant homes all over New Orleans, the person holding the deed of ownership is in question, as homes are often passed between generations here with a complete disregard for official paperwork. This makes distributing relief funds a bureaucratic nightmare. Whose fault is that?


These are just some of the legal and financial hurdles to rebuilding. With all these obstacles, the houses just sit there falling apart, even in middle-class white areas such as Lakeview. "Individual home owners need to be forced to make a decision," says Rice. There is nothing anyone can do if more individuals don't fight to bring their neighborhoods back to life.


And fight people do. Businesses, home owners and cultural associations that have chosen to stay, and recently returned, are proving their love for New Orleans through their concerted efforts to organize and invest. You can help, too.


Traveling to New Orleans is one of the best ways to help the entire area, as tourism is its number-one industry. Rice and the New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network work hard to make New Orleans an attractive destination for African Americans and all those interested in a multicultural travel experience. Please visit the network's site and get a taste of what the city has to offer.

In my next posts, we'll be exploring the lesser-known hot spots that make New Orleans a unique town and the dedication of Brad Pitt's new housing development.

Trust me when I say the energy and excitement is still here in New Orleans.

Photos: Alexis Stodghill/AOL