Tavis Smiley Reports: New Orleans: Been In The Storm Too Long

For the third installment of "Tavis Smiley Reports," host Tavis Smiley and Academy Award®-winning director Jonathan Demme travel to New Orleans, five years after Hurricane Katrina. Through the lens of the rich culture, Smiley examines the efforts of the city’s most resilient residents as they rebuild their schools, churches and homes against enormous odds. Viewers gain a unique perspective on the men and women who rode out the storm and are determined to rebuild their city and their lives.

Tavis Reflects

"We see two sides of the city—the tourist areas that have been redeveloped with federal funds, and the devastated neighborhoods where everyday people have taken it upon themselves to get their homes rebuilt, their schools reopened, and their lives back."

The charismatic and poignant people of New Orleans to be featured include:

Jazz musicians Ellis and Branford Marsalis

Actor John Goodman, longtime resident now starring in the HBO series "Treme'

Actor Wendell Pierce, a third-generation native also starring in "Treme"

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu

Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun, whose experiences were chronicled in Dave Eggers’ award-winning book "Zeitoun'