If there’s a story that I have become obsessed about, it is Hurricane Katrina. I remember it like it was yesterday. My husband and I were visiting some good pals in South Carolina and recall looking at the giant mass on CNN of Hurricane Katrina heading for the Gulf region. I, like so much of the country, stood by stunned and helpless as we watched the news flash of Hurricane Katrina’s fury.
And then the levees broke…
Honestly, I’m traumatized by the events and I was not even there. In NO WAY do I want to take away from anyone who had to live through the experience firsthand, but I just want you to know that it broke my heart. It literally broke my heart to see a moment in the US of A, one of the richest and ablest countries in the entire world, my country that is busy defending me from evil in Iraq absolutely fail to organize an immediate call to action. I remember it was when I first discovered Craig’s list as I was frantically googling how I could get to the Gulf region and do something after seeing Mayor Ray Nagin meltdown on CNN. Craigslist had all kinds listings from people organizing rides to New Orleans or people looking to ride with others. I was millimeters away from just doing it, but my obligations to grad school and some sense talking from my hubby and mother kept me at bay. Those are those moments that if I only had myself to be responsible to and for, I would’ve just jumped in my car. Instead, I immediately signed up with the local Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, but to this day I have not been down there to do my part.
It just amazes me, as a girl from the ‘burbs, how quickly housing communities arise even in a depressed housing market, but we are still pecking away at rebuilding New Orleans and so many nearby areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. How is it possible to still have someone living in a trailer 3 YEARS LATER?!? This was a defining moment and Bush absolutely dropped the ball.
I have been to New Orleans for a short weekend trip about a year before Katrina hit. I honestly can’t get myself to go back there even to support the economy because I can’t get the images out of my head. People died in the Superdome! To me, that’s now sacred land. There’s no way I could sit and watch a game or a concert in a place today for the sake of folly when so many evacuees went there as a last resort.
The following youtoube video from the Real News Network is extremely powerful. Please watch it and tell me what you think.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlkTMQLAE8A&hl=en]
I guess I’m just starting this post to generate some current dialog on the subject. I want to hear from people who were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina and also the added nightmare of the broken levees. I also want to hear from any of you who, like myself, maybe had little to no direct impact and what you have to say when you think about it today. I want to hear from any of you who have gone down for relief efforts. Send me pictures, blog links, articles, books, documentaries and films, more youtube footage, etc…
Let’s keep the dialog going until our fellow citizens in the Gulf region (many former citizens now, I guess) have put the pieces of their lives back together again.
One more thing…
I’m a documentary fanatic and have watched several on this subject. Most recently, I watched “Desert Bayou“, by the masterful Master P, that talks about New Orleans evacuees (black evacuees) that were dropped in Utah to resume life. It’s a good one, if you’re interested. I think I saw something about it on the side pane of Field Negro’s blog and added it to my Netflix list.
More posts to come…
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Hey thank you for this excellent piece. I hung you onto today’s Ladder. I have flown completely off the charts over the recently rediscovered LEAKING levee at the 17th Street Canal Failure Repair. Please go check out my mile-long rant and report.
We are coming up on the 3rd Anniversary this August 29th.
Thank you,
Bruce
Editilla~New Orleans News Ladder
I took a quick peek and your blog is awesome! I will sit down and read your post in detail about the 17th street canal leak. Thanks for linking this post and I will be sure to keep checking in on what you have to say (prefix “affro-” is me using creative license, people often ask). Also, thanks for your tactful hint that it has been 3 years and not 4 years since Hurricane Katrina. Duly corrected (among a few other minor oopsies). I just get so fired up on the subject and finally got to typing about it.
I actually studied civil engineering as an undergrad and joined the Army Corps of Engineers right after college. One of the things that motivated me to join this civilian operation was getting a chance to work with FEMA as an engineer on relief efforts. I didn’t stay there long (for tons of reasons), but I am not proud of the things I have been reading about the Corps and their Katrina work.
Hello Sister,
I ended up on your blog by accident but I’m glad to see that someone still cares. I am a Hurricane Katrina refugee born and raised in New Orleans. I now live in Baton Rouge, LA and would like to share my story with you and your readers. It is not a story of one week but 3 years and still going. If your interested please let me know.
Peace & Blessings
@Lenore: Of course I’m interested! If the email address attached to the comment (it only showed up in my email not here online) is accurate, I will reach out to you directly and we can take it from there.
Thank you for not only stopping by but also leaving a comment. You are the reason that I want to keep this dialog going.
I’m a Bostonian who lived in New Orleans for a couple of years in the 1990s; I’ve been back several times but not since Katrina.
A friend of mine in New Orleans has been taking photos of the lack of progress coming up to the 3rd anniversary:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skeletonkrewe/sets/72157606433813616/
There are many other folks on Flickr showcasing this.
@Lenore- I hope you weren’t a hoax or someone chasing dollars because I never heard back from you, and it makes me nervous when I reach out and mention things like I do this out of love not for money.
@Andrea- Thanks for sharing a link to the photos. Photography is a love of mine and I think there are some powerful messages on this subject that can be shared by a single photo.
I have a few leads about linking up with work in New Orleans. One through an MIT professor doing research and the other through a local friend’s church. Hopefully, at least 1 of the 2 will pan out and I can get roped in to some of the work being done currently. It is a shame that some areas are virtually untouched. I hope Obama sets this right if he becomes president.
Hey, I actually found this site looking for information to put in my persuasive speech. I am writing a persuasive speech about volunteering for the National Relief Network. Even though I didn’t grow up in New Orleands I feel a direct connection. I took the alternative spring break twice in high school. Which means I spent my sophomore and junior year spring break volunteering for the NRN down in New Orleans. Me and 40 other kids from my high school took a bus all the way from michigan to go help out. It was the experience of a life time! It was such an amazing experience and encourage everyone to help out. There are photos and a video on the National Relief Network website. Nick News even came and interviewed me and a couple other kids I was with. That is also posted on the website.
@Lauren- Funny the places google searches will take you. Thanks for sharing information about the National Relief network. It sounds like a great organization. I’m going to look it up. You should also check out New Orleans Ladder-
http://noladder.blogspot.com/
(it’s on my blogroll)
There’s regular info about New Orleans on that site and the site author has been very approachable if you want info or to ask questions.
That’s great that Nick News even found interest. I wish you well.
Thanks for stopping by AND leaving a comment!