“This can be yours,” the black-and-white newspaper advertisement promised above an image of a tree-lined ranch home in Pontchartrain Park. It was the 1950s in segregated New Orleans, Louisiana, and the promise of a slice of suburbia for black Americans lured hundreds to the new community. That included Meldon and Audrey Woods, who purchased a two-story home in 1957. Fifty years later, they were forced to evacuate their home as Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans.

The couple didn’t waste any time reflecting: They immediately focused on rebuilding. It was the same spirit and determination that helped create Pontchartrain Park, where, according to many locals, children were raised with a sense of community and family. Actor Wendell Pierce, who grew up in Pontchartrain Park, has committed the past two years to rebuilding the neighborhood. By surrounding himself with a cadre of experts, learning on the job, and winning over city planners and politicians, this accidental developer became Pontchartrain Park’s greatest hope.

Via CNN, click here for full story.