Run! Run!
What are you doing?
Play bumper cars?
Alright, watch out!
Do not wanna fall.
Yeah, this is--
Oh, be careful
right there.
Why are you walking like that?
Because.
Quit following me.
Oh. Im like Dory.
Stop!
It's just deep.
Bro.
I'm like Dory
right now.
You might be.
That's a bird over there.
No, it's not.
Then what is it?
It looks like a bird,
but it's not a bird.
Then what is it?
Not a bird.
What is it, Mr. Howard?
It's an oil rig.
What does it do?
It don't get no simpler
than what I just said.
It's an oil rig.
It gets oil.
From where?
I just laid there.
What are you gonna miss
about this place?
What I'm gonna miss?
Yeah.
Everything, man.
[reporter] Scientists say
the region is losing land
at a rate
of a football field every hour.
[female reporter]
People refer to the tribe
and also, to this island
as America's first climate
change refugees.
We're looking
at mass relocation.
Rising sea water is
claiming the land
people have lived on
for centuries.
Come on, Howard.
Whoo!
Oh, yeah!
Oh, good shot.
Yeah.
Oh, that was perfect.
Whoo!
I'm hanging on
your shoulders there.
Whoo!
You got it from here?
Oh, yeah.
Got the rest.
Throw.
Me, my sister
and my uncle,
it's like a triangle, you know.
You can't have one piece there.
It won't be a triangle no more.
Aw!
What happened?
I got hit
in the face with the ball.
Did it hurt?
My Uncle Chris,
he's shaped me
into the man I am today.
Me and my sister.
Yeah. Yeah.
Cooling off.
He's my father figure.
He's gonna go.
Oh, now you gonna throw
a major throw?
Oh, good...
Nope.
Good shot.
You wanted it.
You got it.
Good shot.
The tree caught it!
Yeah!
I much prefer the percolator
over the regular coffee maker.
You know, the one that has
that hot plate underneath
to keep your coffee warm?
That don't work.
This here works
a whole lot better.
Uncle Chris is saying that
now that he got one.
But before, he used
to use that for 20 years.
Why you acting like...?
Why?
You funny,
ha, ha, ha, ha.
You doing coffee or no?
Oh, you want
to bake that cake?
Oh, yeah, I'll do that.
Please do, because that'd be a
good thing for this afternoon.
This house isn't
the best, obviously,
but it's home.
I don't think that everybody
understands how it is
to live in a place that's
getting smaller and smaller.
I mean, I know it's not much,
but it's ours
and it's beautiful.
[TV]
we're concerned more
about whats out,
than getting back home
No, actually this is really nice
but, like you said,
the calm before the storm.
But were here to enjoy...
Howard is my nephew,
and he's 16.
And Juliette is my niece,
and she's 14.
Oh, Dawson and Madeline
are coming?
Well, duh.
We have all
the kids over here.
They're children
of the bayou.
Is my makeup smeared anywhere?
You have a little bit
right here.
Alright.
I can't even get my fingers.
Oh yeah. Couldn't even
get your fingers through
because I know my hair
is not easy.
If you had a chance
to grow up over here,
I think it's something
you wouldn't want to forget.
This is the house
I was raised in as a child.
The house had to be lifted
by a house-lifting crew
because you could wake up
at any time in the morning
and your house
would be underwater.
Not every day is the same.
Some days, it's just regular
to where it's just a blue sky,
so there's not much to see.
But there are other times,
whenever it begins to paint
a different picture,
that's whenever
it's beautiful to me.
I can't believe
you did this to my boot.
Quit.
You're laughing like a hyena.
Come on, now.
Shut up.
What a rookie.
No.
Come on, man.
When it comes to the
changes of the environment,
we got one foot on land
and one foot in the water.
There's one road in
and one road out.
Whenever somebody
comes from out of town,
and they come to
Isle de Jean Charles,
they would say, "Hmm...
What's moving here?
What's so interesting
about the place?"
Well, that's just it.
It's its simplicity.
Isle de Jean Charles
has always been known
to be a Native American
community.
We belong to the Jean Charles
Choctaw Nation tribe.
We've been over here seven
or eight generations back.
Growing up, I saw
my Native American roots
and how important it is
to be able to pass that on.
It's hard to uproot that.
Whenever it comes
to this relocation,
I'm not leaving.
Alright, me and Howard!
I'm going first.
Okay, field it.
Ah ha!
Oh.
You can't catch it!
Howard can't catch it.
No!
Hey, you can't steal.
Boy, look at you.
You're not even on base.
Base is right here.
-Safe.
-I'm in it.
Ready?
Oh, run, run, run, run, run!!
Run, run, run, run!
I'm gonna get you!
You better run!
You gotta run!
You gotta run!
Go, go, go, go, go!
Go in the pool!
Hurry!
Yay!
Ah, ah!
Stop! Stop! Stop!
Stop! Stop!
Kick it. Kick it.
Kick it. Kick it.
[sportscaster]
...and first down.
They gotta give him a timeout,
I would think.
Oh, my God!
We ahead!
[sportscaster]
It's gonna be where
Keenum he steps into it.
Pass is caught!
[sportscaster]
Diggs sideline! Touchdown!
Unbelievable.
Vikings win it.
You gotta be kidding me.
The Saints lost.
I play football at
South Terrebonne high school.
Probably the worst thing,
like, the biggest thing...
the road floods.
People can't pass on it.
Then you don't go to school.
You can't play football.
If you wanna be good,
you can't take days off.
The goal is to get
a scholarship
and go to college for it.
My family supports me, you know.
Hopefully one day,
I'll make it to the pros.
He actually got papers
on two different colleges
that wanted him to go play.
You know, he'll never be better
than his sissy right here,
but he's pretty good.
I'm joking.
There's a gutter ball.
He's about to gutter ball it.
Oh, my God.
You should have farted on it.
Get that, boy!
I'm the pro at bowling.
I can't do it.
I can't do it either.
I don't know
how to do it.
No, it's like--
I know, it's like--
Yeah, it's like--
Yeah.
I can do this, though.
Me and Cullen
at Pinocchio's.
Howard and Cullen
were always best friends.
Actually,
me and my cousin Heather,
we had both seen that he
just got single or whatever.
And so, Heather was like, "Ooh."
I was like, "What?"
She was like,
"This boy just got single."
I said, "He's mine.
Leave him alone."
She was like, "Damn."
So yeah, that's how it started.
The two of y'all?
Oh, my God, it's so
freaking cold up there.
This will be like
as if I'm taking a shower.
Okay.
Ooh, that's cold.
I'm going to turn around.
Here we go.
Imma hit these waves right here.
Watch this wave.
Makeya and Howard
started dating,
and then that's whenever
me and Makeya became friends.
We just like to be
all outside together.
I wanna go
with you, sister.
Me too.
I wanna go with you, too.
We'd be
popping everywhere.
I'm gonna just go
with my sister then, if--
You're still going
with me, shut up.
No, but you
don't wanna go fast.
Whenever me and
Howard are 50, 60 years old,
we're still going
to be joking around,
kicking each other
and running, you know.
We pretty much
do everything together.
That's my sister.
I need to look out for her.
She's like my best friend.
[interviewer] Could you tell me
what happened to your parents?
I don't feel like
talking about that.
Yeah, I like it.
I like that.
Let me get my buddy a drink?
Thats some
special ice in there.
It is a beautiful day.
Thanks to y'all.
Why are you eating like that?
Happy birthday, Chris.
Thank you, Mike.
Whoo.
I've known Chris.
We were like middle school
buddies at 12 years old.
So, not revealing my age,
but that's a long time ago.
It's quite some time.
Well, youre not 16 yet.
But youre almost.
When is that?
April.
I just made 15.
of two thousand fourty what?
Right!
You got something to drink?
No.
Go get you something.
Okay.
In South Louisiana,
there is a kind of like,
unofficial rule.
Thank you.
Thank you, ma'am.
It's like if you're my dad
or my mother's friend,
well, you're family
no matter what.
See, I was actually
thinking about throwing you in.
Go like this.
Yeah. I was thinking about
throwing you in.
That's how you call them?
Yeah, I thinking about
throwing you in.
See, look,
they don't bite.
Huh?
They don't bite, huh?
They don't bit, huh?
What happened
to their parents,
we don't really talk about it.
I don't want a mother figure.
Somebody that's not my mom.
I lost my mom,
so I guess I like--
Since I lost her,
then I don't need one
cause she was that person
and now that she's not there
then I don't need one.
I'm doing good by myself.
I'm good.
It's a very
unfortunate thing
that addiction
can put you to that point,
you know, where you just--
It just happens, you know.
One night after
their mother passed away,
then Howard,
which is Howard's dad,
he, um...
he couldn't handle it.
And it was kind of
very touching for me
because I knew him very well.
Mike, where are the gators at?
They're not far.
We're gonna start
seeing them pretty soon.
Alright.
I don't know
what addiction is,
so I can't begin
to imagine,
but I just know what I saw.
These kids should have had
both their parents.
They should have had everything
they needed and wanted.
But Chris has come in
and it's like
they have that role model.
They have that parent.
They're blessed.
Chris is blessed.
Put your light on over here.
There's always this loss
because he was my brother.
And that was their dad.
I don't think
you could fix it
to where there is no scar,
there is no hurt.
It's still there.
Now, this I love.
I wasn't robbed
of nothing, honestly.
They died for a reason.
And God always has a way.
So, I mean,
He wouldn't put us through
anything we can't handle.
So, I mean,
to me it's cool.
Look what I have.
Yeah, but wait a minute,
though.
What more
could you ask for?
That's right.
Why you got
my uncle started?
Wait a minute, girl.
I'm a whole lot older than you.
So whenever it comes
to this fire, I see life.
For 53 years,
this is the only place
I have ever known
as home.
Right.
The light that remains
on this island is still burning.
But I am faced to bring
that fire somewhere else.
I don't know.
A little bit of music
would be good.
Alright, I got you.
Instead of
sitting here crying.
Alright, I got you
with the music.
Chris, you know this song?
Growing up,
there's always been a good
sense of you knowing everybody.
Being born with cerebral palsy,
the community
and family and friends
were real good with me.
If I couldn't walk anymore,
they carried me.
Going back to 1970,
it was a paradise.
He's a hoarder.
He just stores pictures of everything.
Oh, him!
"You never know what's
gonna happen in the future."
I'm like, "What's gonna
happen in the future?"
But, yeah.
This is what we have
at the front bayou.
And this is one of the boats
my dad used to have.
In 2003, not so much
my big head up in here,
but this is a picture of the
same front bayou in the area.
[interviewer]
Oh, the trees are dead.
Right.
It wasn't an overnight thing,
but you could say that
in less than 100 years,
this is the damage
that was done.
[reporter]
This island once boasted
more than 22,000 acres.
Today it measures
around 320 acres,
with just 35 structures
still livable.
Hurricanes have always
been part of our life
on the bayou.
My dad told me that at one time,
a Category 1 didn't bring
no water over here.
And now a Category 1
can really push a lot of water.
This is a full size
Chevrolet truck on the road
and it has water up to the hood.
A real major category 4 or 5
where it would cause it
to always have water,
that would be
the worst case scenario
for the island.
There was a time that I did not
believe in climate change,
but today I see that my environment
is challenged by natural forces
and there are man-made decisions
that make it even worse.
Louisiana is an oil
and gas state.
Because they couldn't
build bridges over bayous,
they chose to dig up canals
to get to the gas pockets.
They made more avenues
for water to come in.
The island in original form,
was actually always supplied
by fresh water.
That kept the trees
and everything around it
supplied with nutrients.
Because of the saltwater working
its way into the water table,
The trees just gave way
to the saltwater intrusion.
By the time they realized that
so much damage was done,
I think it was too late
to stop it.
[reporter]
Back in 2016,
a federal grant
worth $48 million
was awarded
to the state of Louisiana
for a resettlement project
that would move anyone off
the island to a new community
nearly 40 miles north.
For us to be labeled
as climate change refugees,
in a way, that's kind of harsh
because of what's going on
around the world
with other people.
But I haven't been able to put
another word in it's place yet.
[reporter]
The project is two years in,
and not a single family
has agreed to move
because they just dont trust
that this is the
right thing to do.
If anyone decides
to resettle and leave,
they won't lose ownership
of their homes,
but they can't make
improvements on them.
Meanwhile, a storm system
could develop
in the Gulf this weekend,
which could bring
more flooding
to the Isle de Jean Charles
Hey, kitty poo.
You wanna play with your tail?
[reporter]
...every scan of the radar.
And a new tornado warning
has just been issued.
These are all the areas
where you need
to seek shelter immediately,
because that is where that
rotation continues to show up.
We did see a new tornado warning
issued for this area,
Northeastern Tangi and then now
Northwestern Washington Parish.
[reporter]
I'm meteorologist Alex Olson.
We're on the west side
of this system,
and, boy, has that worked out
in favor of
the Mississippi Gulf Coast
as well as portions
of Louisiana.
Wow.
Things change.
There's the question of,
you know, how bad will it get?
Pray, my brothers and sisters,
that my sacrifice and yours
be acceptable to God,
the Father Almighty.
May the Lord
accept the sacrifice
at your hands.
I could probably
finish off my life
over here on this island.
But what about
the younger generation?
I have the opportunity
for other doors to open up
but there is no telling
how far that she can go
or how far that
Howard can go also.
Something my parents had
is not here anymore for us.
There's a decision to be made.
I heard somebody say,
you signed for the relocation.
I'm like wait,
what's that, Uncle Chris?
I didn't believe him at first
cuz, you know, he spent
his whole life down here.
I didn't think we'd be
moving away from this.
I like being on the water.
It keeps me calm.
Within the next two years,
they're gonna
start building here?
Probably so, ya know.
It's just land and roads,
you know.
It's a lot different.
I think it'll be close.
Fairly close.
They're going
to have to be close
because they can't fit as many
houses as they're saying.
How many houses
are they saying
they could fit right here?
Like, 180 to 200 homes.
Where are you going
to throw the cast net, you know?
Where are you going
to catch a redfish, you know?
How are you going
to catch a shrimp?
See these rocks right here?
I'll catch a couple of these.
Catch a couple rocks?
The combination
of the environment
and man-made decision
has caused me
to make a decision
I never wanted to make.
Before the next major storm,
we need to be on higher ground.
She's not giving you a*mo,
you thought!
I'm outta a*mo.
Climate refugees.
I've heard that term
a couple of times.
Are we gonna be
the last kids to grow up here?
The floods
are getting worse.
We're moving just to be
not left homeless, really.
This hurricane season,
if a storm would pass through,
where would we go?
Them people do claim
that they're going to finish
at the end of this year.
Whether that's true or not,
I don't know.
Alright.
First steps.
Oh, yeah.
You think you can
roll through this, bro?
Ah, I wouldn't know.
Find out.
Let's see what you got.
This is the exterior.
Alright.
This is the door.
This is post
and the floor, the steps.
Stuff like that.
And this is the trim
around the windows.
All right.
Is there an estimated date
to have the house finished,
for you?
Chris, it's this fall.
So, November 2021.
Before Christmas
if Mother Nature allows.
Right.
After hurricane season.
How far of a trip is it?
It's probably about an hour.
An hour?
From here, yeah.
It's literally
the end of the world.
Hopefully y'all
only have to deal with it
for one more summer.
This is the wetlands
right here, my guys.
This is where
we gonna fish at.
This is where we gonna catch
them six-foot gar fish.
Nah, but, I really--
they shouldn't have
labeled this wetlands at all.
They said
they had alligators,
so you better watch
where we're walking.
Boy, I'll wrestle
an alligator right now.
I'll run from it.
My savior.
They got a pond
right here.
One right here.
The community center is going
to be in the middle of it.
It's gonna go like this.
Yeah.
That's where it's gonna be.
You're about to fall.
You know.
Look at you.
That's where it's gonna be at.
Let me know I'm gonna have
a giant Chevron station
in the perfect view
of my beautiful island home.
I love it.
Just love it.
Awesome.
Hey, y'all.
How was it over there?
It's alright.
I give this a solid
five out of ten.
I mean, looking at them
line of trees right there.
Now that's a pretty scenery,
because I do like them trees.
Oh, yeah.
It's something different.
There are some things
that you don't like about it.
There are some things
that I don't like about it.
You know, we have
to deal with that.
We did agree, you know,
to move over there.
How old am I right now?
You're 19.
How old am I gonna be
when they're finished
with this project?
Be what, 21?
Maybe even older.
I don't know.
But whenever
they are finished,
I'm gonna be living with you.
You know,
you was only 15, alright.
I mean, they're not
gonna go there
and give a 15-year-old,
ya know, a house for himself.
I'm just trying to get that life
that I've dreamed about
since I was young, you know?
If I had been 6 months older,
I would have actually been eligible for a house.
Seems like every time
I climb that ladder,
it kind of breaks on me,
and I fall back down.
He was playing football
and one of his teammates
was trying to hit the same guy
Howard was chasing,
and hit Howard.
Bent, like, his knee back.
ACL, MCL and meniscus,
all ripped.
All not together no more.
I'm glad he didn't go back.
If he messed up that leg again,
he wouldn't have been
able to walk on it again
because there's literally
a screw through his leg.
I was gonna
go to college,
but, you know,
after my injury, I was like,
man, I don't know if I could
even do this anymore.
And I just gave up anything
that had to do with football.
I was depressed, you know.
Well, ya know, everything
does happen for a reason.
I've got responsibilities.
A responsibility.
Grayson.
Give him his plate.
So we had broke up
for, like, a month,
and then Grayson happened.
Getting pregnant young,
there were rumors.
I feel like I was always
getting stared at.
If it wasn't for Howard
sticking around,
I probably would've just dropped
out and leave Louisiana.
Whoa there, partner.
He's the one who
kind of just was in my ear,
pushing me to stay in school
and telling me
not to worry about it.
Oh, you want
to come back, huh?
Oh, you
don't want to fall.
We're at Makeya's
Grandma's house.
We moved a few times
for a few hurricanes
just to be safe.
A little Category 1 took out
probably 2 or 3 houses.
Whoa.
Getting into that place
that they're building,
that'd be
the next milestone for me.
Come on, my baby.
Let's go.
My niece and my nephew,
one being 19 and the other one
getting ready to turn 18,
they're ready to become,
you know, adults.
There's some moments
I wish there was like before,
but I know that they
have to be able
to spread their wings.
With me being their uncle,
I have to be able
to let them go,
and you want them to go
because that's how they--
That's how they grow.
I like how
quiet it is.
Yeah, that's what's good
about living on the island.
I'd like to know how many times
your brother let you get bit
by the fiddler crab
just to catch up.
Oh, a lot. A lot.
Yeah, a lot.
We used to fish, too.
Yeah.
It used to be me and my brother
doing a lot of things.
But now, he has
his own girlfriend and family
and all that, and then I have
my uncle and Cullen.
A lot of people are leaving.
To be moving over there
is going to really be
something new.
Definitely.
It won't be nothing like this,
that's for sure.
[reporter] The Atlantic
hurricane season
started June 1st.
[reporter] Tonight,
a new tropical storm
has just been named
Expected to become
a powerful hurricane
headed toward the Gulf.
So Rob Marciano is back tonight.
Hey, Rob.
[Rob] Hi, David.
And strong confidence now that
this will be a strong hurricane
as it approaches the U.S.
Right now, it's about
100 miles west of Jamaica.
Tropical storm warnings
are posted for western Cuba.
It will rapidly intensify over
very warm waters in the Gulf.
[reporter] How big
of a threat to the U.S.
is this tropical system
[reporter] I think it's
a very big threat.
Its only 72 hours away.
So if it becomes
a really strong hurricane,
which we think
it's very possible it will,
people do not have
that much time to prepare.
They're probably
not going to be expecting
what is a very major hurricane.
Thats headed in the general direction
of Louisiana.
So this one we really need to watch closely.
Besides the fear of what
could go on where I live,
but it's also losing
my own home totally.
[reporter] ...now it's
tropical storm Ida...
Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey.
Good boy.
Put your head up.
When the storm comes in
from the southeast,
you evacuate.
Good boy.
Good boy.
Okay. Hold me.
Hold me. Come on.
Or you just fend for yourself.
Alright, it's August 28th, 2021.
Preparing for the storm,
Hurricane Ida.
That's my truck.
Oh, my dog, Coco.
There's the man himself.
Christopher, what are your
thoughts on Hurricane Ida?
I think this one here is going
to really make us think twice.
It's um...
It's different than
the other ones.
Since we're gonna be
on the east side of it,
and it's going to get up
to a Cat 4.
Heading out.
It's an eight-foot
levee surrounding us.
They expect storm surges
around 10-15ft.
Hopefully it's not
too bad after.
Right now
it's still calm.
There's no water on the road,
but it's better we get off
because whenever it's going
to start to come in,
it's gonna be all at once.
You never know
with a hurricane.
Anything can happen.
You just have to have hope.
Like hope that its just not going
to hit your house that bad
All you can do because the storm
is going to do what it wants
This what 150-mile an
hour winds look like, everybody.
It's windy.
Oh, man.
Looks like we're getting
a little closer to the eye.
It's slowing down
and picking up.
It's going crazy.
This is getting bad
right here, man.
I can't even--
I can't really stand up.
It's gone.
It's gone.
So we had to park the car
because the road is blocked.
Yeah. Houses are
completely destroyed now.
We just made it down.
Those houses collapsed
on themselves.
I'm coming up
to my house right now.
That one also fell on itself.
This is bad.
Well, guys, this is the update
we got so far.
It's a lot different
than y'all last seen it
in my first video.
I mean, the stairs are good.
I mean, I guess that's cool.
It could have
been worse, though.
I'm grateful
it's still standing,
and the majority of it
is still intact.
I can't get to the back
because, as you can see,
part of my house fell, but...
Alright, everyone.
The weather's rolling in,
so we're about to roll out.
I was ready to walk down here,
whether I had to walk over
power lines or even houses.
I was going to get down here,
even if it meant me swimming.
Yeah, I was just worried about
if I had a house left or not
after seeing houses
completely torn apart.
When I sent them photos
to my uncle,
I could imagine,
it was hard for him to see.
Oh, wow.
Look at the house.
I know.
Just.
Yeah, it's standing.
Look at the addition.
The posts work though.
Ya heard?
The posts work.
Yeah, the posts.
The ones we put in.
The house was shaking so bad,
you can actually see
the gaps in the wood
where the roof
is supposed to be flush--
It shifted?
--with the running board, yeah.
I'ma have to, uh--
hammer some
of these nails in first
cuz a lot of them got
kicked up from the storm.
But once we figure out what size
planks and all are under here,
that's when we're gonna
probably replace them.
For now, we gotta go
put that tarp up
because it's raining
in the house.
We're all equal
in the eyes of the hurricane
because we're standing
in its way,
and whatever is in its way,
it destroys.
And if it survives,
well then you can be grateful.
I feel like
climate change
has made hurricanes stronger.
It feels that way,
the way it's looking down here.
[reporter] Yet another
disturbing new report.
Yet another bleak picture
of what could happen
in these United States
if global leaders
don't take action
so stop Climate Change.
This is the new national
climate change assessment
that says that by 2050,
coastal flooding will happen
five to ten times more often
than it does right now.
Thats if no action is taken.
You know,
the more you pick at a place,
the more it will break, right?
How much
are you willing to take?
How much of a beating
are you willing to withstand?
This is actually
the last oak tree.
Yeah.
From where the island
actually used to start.
I get it.
One or two oil companies
came in to begin with,
but then they all
found out about it,
and you got 20 different
companies digging in one spot.
Like, alright.
You wanna make your money.
Well, fill up your trenches
after you dig 'em out.
And now you see
this place basically gone.
Like, just a withered skeleton.
[TikTok video] Make another
creative hurricane meal.
And yes, I said cook pizza
with no electricity.
Alley-oop.
[reporter] The Wrath of Ida
was on full display Sunday
across Louisiana.
I'm in an apartment
in the city now.
I've never seen
a hurricane that strong.
I mean, we've had
the water multiple times,
but the wind
is what got us this time.
I've never seen one like it.
Cullen just got a job
for an oil company.
It's the only way
to make money down here.
I only got $5 until Friday.
sh*t.
f*cking life.
Or all the times
you wanna get McDonalds?
Oh.
Nuh-uh. Uh-uh.
How much was that freaking
Apple bill that came out?
That had to be a lot.
Thirty-five.
My phone bill came out to $75.
Two-hundred
and seventy-five dollars?
No. $75
Oh.
You got power?
No.
Cuz the storm was so crazy,
I wasn't able to get to school.
There's still no power there.
They're doing online schooling,
but I think I'm just
going to drop out.
I have bigger
priorities right now.
I'm just trying to grow up
and everything's going wrong.
Wanna play?
You can't go next door.
Grayson.
sh*t.
So when Grayson
was two years old,
his speech was at six months.
Patient presents with autism.
Yeah, he has level three.
How many levels
they got?
Three.
Really?
Three being the worst.
Yeah, but we have to find him
a new doctor for this.
But this is like, going to be
three hours from here.
They don't got none down here.
So, like Baton Rouge.
Yeah. They don't have none
in New Orleans no more.
Hopefully they got
a good one in Baton Rouge,
at least.
We probably have to travel
for like, a true
good appointment.
You shouldn't have
responsibilities really
at 18 or 19.
But, you know,
I guess some people
grow up faster than others.
Gotta give him some speed, man.
He's good. He's good.
He's going too fast anyway.
He's getting me nervous.
In reality,
we're in a hole
and just trying
to find a way out.
Go ahead.
Right now, I have to be
in a camper.
There's an uncertainty there.
It's gonna get colder.
There is a hurt.
There is a pain.
There is a loss.
It being your
family-dwelling for so long
and the center of family life
and shelter,
and to see it after a storm
where there's damage,
it's heartbreaking.
I can't repair,
but you move ahead.
That's some nice little houses.
Yeah, so this is going to be--
This is this house right here,
number one.
So these are going
to be completed,
what, the first six, correct?
Yes.
They're going
to be the first homes
to be completed.
The first batch.
I told you
it was pretty spacious.
Pretty spacious down here.
The rooms
are like this.
Look.
Cullen, I think the TV
can be mounted like, right there
or right here.
Look, we could go chill
on the roof.
Open that window
and we'll climb up.
Oh, yes.
We can just chill.
We could all
sit right here.
This is going to be
my Tik-Tok spot.
This roof's gonna get me famous,
I know it.
They picked a good width to be
able to turn around right there
for people to walk.
That's good.
This is your bathroom.
Whoa.
Your tub and your toilet
is gonna be right here.
Your sink, I think,
is gonna be right here.
You're probably gonna have
your own closet right here.
Cool.
That's it.
Look at the sky.
Mmmhmm.
You see above the tree line.
Almost.
It's like blue,
yellow and orange.
You like it here?
I love the view
and the lighting.
When do you think we're actually
gonna be able to move in?
Because I feel like
it's been pushed back
like so many different times.
They got deadlines,
but if they can't
meet them deadlines,
well then just
continue working, you know,
and deal with the setback.
We're all scattered around,
so we're going
to be back together again.
Yeah, there's going to be
a lot of us in the house.
But, I mean, I feel like
it's better than being split up
and so far away
from each other.
So, I mean,
it don't matter to me
cuz we're all gonna
be back together.
I feel the happiest
when I'm with family.
That's why I got these
last minute, actually.
This one's for my mom
and this one's for my dad.
He played music
and she loved butterflies,
so the Roman numerals
is her death date.
This is my dad's death date.
They're always with me
no matter what.
It's not that I didn't have
parent figures.
They're not here,
but you still have people
who love you.
This will always be home,
cause this is where I grew up.
This new place is
just where Im going to live.
I want it to be a place,
where we can regroup as a family.
A happy place.
Not having to worry about
a storm coming to take out our house.
My brother, he is there with us.
And looking at his children.
I just want whats best for them.
Look at how pretty the day is.
I don't want to go today.
Not right now.
Oh, big girl.
Two-hundred years
we've been over here.
This is it now.
Mic check.
One. Two.
Three. Four. Five.
Mic check.
One. Two.
Three. Four. Five.
I heard you might be speaking
on the podium
but I'm gonna go up there
with you to help you out.
Alright.
And then right after
you're done,
i'm gonna take the mic and
probably say stuff on my own.
No. No, but the thing to do
in this kind of setting is--
I'm going to be
very professional.
Yeah, but.
You can't always
have a battle with them.
I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna...
We are moving in there.
It is ours now.
I know but, I'm gonna see if you
might be speaking first.
It is great to be here
with you today.
I want to start
by thanking the tribal leaders.
Chief, it's good to see you
this morning,
and really, everybody who
made this resettlement possible.
This is the very first program
of its kind
in our nation's history
where we have basically
having to move people
because of climate change.
This New Isle that was
built for us is appreciated
and will not go unnoticed.
But with the good comes the bad,
for future generations
will not stay.
And I mean no disrespect
when I'm saying this.
I will not be living with my
sister 10 years from now.
I would like my own space.
I don't know.
I mean, I don't think
they're not going to let me.
I just don't want to be rude
and go up there and be like,
"Hey, everybody, listen,"
you know?
Just speak your mind to all
the news reporters here.
You'll get it all,
you'll get on something.
Yeah, I know.
That's what I'm probably
going to do.
Yeah, yeah,
he's loaded down.
Everybody wants to talk
to the governor.
Yeah, yeah, everybody does.
One of my biggest hangups
about making my decision
about moving over here,
that house is not a home yet.
It's still just a house for me.
I'm not used to it.
I still live a couple of blocks
from where I grew up
because it's important to me,
and I know y'all are not going
to have that opportunity.
That's why
it's really bittersweet.
Right.
Oh, there goes my life.
Yeah, that's the next document.
Not quite this one.
Perfect.
Alright, and so next we have
your promissory note.
So this basically goes along
with the mortgage
we're going to have you sign.
It's a nice view, huh?
Yes, sir.
It sure is.
And just think
it's ours every day.
Things change,
you know?
It's a weird feeling.
It's like, you know,
yeah, it's a cool new house
but, you know,
it's still kind of--
It's definitely
out of place for me.
I know that definitely
for my uncle.
I didn't get a residency
or, you know,
even just a land that I could
put a residence on.
Uh, okay, wait a minute.
Hey, one at a time
on them steps.
Move that, Makeya.
This don't work.
It wasn't like this last time
I came in here.
Somebody did come
and loot probably.
Oh.
Look, there's a gecko
on the wall.
On the side by the window.
It's a big one.
It's weird.
This used to be my old room.
It's got all kinds
of sh*t in it.
This is
the storage room now.
Yeah, I know.
This is the only side that
didn't get damaged that's why.
It could be your room
like as a camp instead.
You can probably fit
two beds in here.
Yeah, two small ones.
Or two bunk beds.
No, no bunk beds.
I didn't go to sleep
not 'til almost
2 this morning.
Not that I was worried about it,
but it was like, oh gosh.
You know, them keys.
I had them keys with me,
and it was like, whoa.
Like, damn,
I'm really moving.
Yeah.
You know, that was something
new for me.
I never went through that
or signed so many papers before.
It was almost like
signing my life away, you know?
Oh.
Look at all them
whistling ducks.
God.
I can't wait for duck season.
It will be fun.
It's going to be
some getting used to
because I have three dogs.
They have a baby,
and he's really scared of,
like, louder noises.
And my big dog,
all he does is bark.
I mean,
it's a lot of people,
but in the end you know,
it came out well
and I just hope
it stays that way.
I don't know why they
didn't put grass over there.
None of them
have grass.
Supposedly they're
supposed be moving in too.
This is the last houses
to move in.
A lot of the houses
are pretty similar.
Yeah.
There's a bunch of adjustments
that we're going to have to do.
It's just the dogs and--
He's gonna have to get
used to that, you know?
Yeah.
That's a new thing for him,
because we never really
had a dog like that.
I promise you,
it's going to be nice.
You can hear that, huh?
Yeah.
How are you doing, sweetie?
You're doing good?
Tomorrow we will be celebrating
Juliette's birthday.
You're invited.
I like
seeing my neighbors,
because at one point in time,
I was with them
almost every day.
I dont think my uncle
will ever admit this but,
I believe us being together
as a family again,
thats where home is.
That is something.
That is something to see that
name on a little green sign.
These wheels
are not made for that.
Ah! Stop! Stop! Stop!
It's a little bit too quick.
Go around the other way.
No, I gotta get
to this tack.
Oh, well, that works.
There you go.
No.
It don't look good, huh?
Well, hang it
on the rope.
Can you reach over the beam?
Oh, f*ck.
Oh, there it goes.
I need it
to be right here.
We're starting to settle in.
This is where I live now.
There we go.
I do miss when it was just
me and Howard.
Didn't have to worry
about nothing, you know?
Just could go fishing
in the backyard.
Love them.
Just do whatever,
but we grew up.
Getting my high school diploma
is something still something I want to achieve.
I regret doing dropping out.
I regret that.
Happy birthday, Juliette
Happy birthday to you
And many more
And many more
That's what I was thinking.
You was 19,
but not no more.
You think Juliette
had a nice birthday?
I believe so.
I believe
a good effort was made.
I miss hanging out
on the island.
What I miss--
The good old days.
--is y'all two going fishing,
coming back home
with a pile of fish,
fixing it and then cooking it.
And by the time,
right at dark
or right after dark,
we had us a real good supper
and everything was fresh.
That fish was good
just coming out of the water,
you know?
Yes, sir.
I miss that.
It's going to slip on.
There you go.
-You got it?
-Yep.
They ain't gonna give you
a piece of land or--
I already tried.
I need privacy, man.
You wouldn't want to--
And they already got too many
people in that house.
Too many people?
In the house, yes.
It's just...
Come on.
It's really just not...
It's not suited
for a woman and a kid, you know?
They didn't want to give me
a house or land,
and I sure as hell
ain't going to buy it.
Considering they think those
houses are worth $400,000.
I don't know what the hell
they smoking, but I need some.
If I'm going to
get something at that price.
Yeah, 'cus the house
is already falling apart.
Exactly.
Right there.
The mirror in Chris' house.
Yeah.
The freaking lamps.
Look, that one's
already down.
These houses
weren't built to last.
The walls are so thin
it's like, ridiculous.
Like, I could be whispering
to somebody
and you could hear me talking
in the other room over.
We called about
the AC three months ago.
A man just came.
Still works, but it leaks.
Next door,
my uncle and my aunt,
their bathtub is leaking
into their closet.
That's all going to rot.
That's all going to mold.
Like, there's people
literally with mold
growing in their houses.
Like, it is disgusting.
The money that y'all had
was our money.
Why not build it right?
Why go through all the trouble,
spend all the money,
just for it
to not last five years?
It makes no sense.
The houses falling apart...
I just feel like
they just, like,
betrayed you in a way, you know?
Just waiting till I
can fix the island
and just go back.
There's so much that can be done
with that place.
Alright, my uncle moved on.
My sister moved on.
I'm gonna go down there
and you ain't going
to tell me nothing.
I'm going to fix that house,
and if it breaks,
I'm gonna fix it again.
On and on and on.
I don't care what they say.
It's a better visiting spot
than living spot for me.
It's just better this way.
Kind of angry.
I wish my brother was here,
but he's not.
As soon as they woke up,
they left.
They just said,
"Alright, see y'all later."
I was never comfortable
with the word refugee,
but I couldn't replace it.
But today I can.
And that word is displaced.
Because there's no one
out there hardly on the island,
some of the homes
were vandalized.
Taking whatever they want
or just trample it.
We never had that happen to us.
Never on this scale.
They are destroying
someone else's memories.
Something that's been
part of their lives.
I guess it's coming to terms
with a harsh reality.
I can't protect
the island anymore.
Me and Howard don't
see each other as much anymore.
Not like when we were kids.
We had a free childhood.
I would give everything
to have that life again.
I remember when we used
to all three be in the house
just, you know, living life
happy on the island.
All the history stuff
my uncle has,
we're starting to see
that it has purpose.
He kept it to show us, and then
we're going to show our kids.
Just so that they know
where they come from.
You look back on it,
and you realize you'll never
be able to get that back.
I know we're not going
to be the last ones
that this type of situation
actually happens to.
There's millions
and millions of others
that are having
the same problem we are.
I have a vision for the island,
but nobody else sees it.
I'm the only one that sees it.
I just want the island
to be remembered.
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Lowland Kids (2025)
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