norman francis. he lost his home during the storm and what is unspeakable damage that forced xavier to close for nearly five months. but they became a metaphor for the beating heart of new orleans. tonight, we will hear his story of loss, survival, hope, and renewal in his own words. our look at new orleans, five years after hurricane katrina, coming up right now. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i'm james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is happy to help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: among the many facets that makes new orleans the great city is its deep-rooted college communi