Remembering Katrina
It’s still hard to believe that we are here—the fourth year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Those images of roof-top rescues, rising water and mayhem that played out in our city and lives have left a permanent mark. The promise was to never forget. But then again, how could we?
And so we stop and reflect on the souls lost in the storm and for those scattered by it.
The plight of this city’s residents—mostly poor and Black—was so bleak and full of despair that national media took to calling us refugees.
There has been progress in these four years. Homes rebuilt, schools reopened and refugees have reclaimed their residency. Still, there are neighbors, relatives and friends who have not yet come back. Some businesses have not reopened; many neighborhood schools are still void of the sound of children and even the doors of Charity Hospital are still shuttered. As an anniversary article in USA Today notes, downtown and the tourism industry have made significant rebounds in these four years. And we are excited to hear that. To see downtown abuzz with visitors is great, a reason to celebrate. But we also long to see other parts of the city return to their pre-Katrina posture, and we lament the void their slow recovery has left. This Katrina anniversary, like each one before it and those yet to come, will bring a mixed bag of both lamenting the loss and celebrating the found.
But in the next few days, The Tribune urges our readers to take some time to recall the acts of kindness and selflessness that occurred in the wake of the storm. Those heroes that risked their own lives in flood waters to save others or those who provided neighbors with a safe place to stay or food to eat in those most tumultuous days following the storm before the federal response and the city was clear. Maybe the act of kindness you recall did not happen here, but in some other city given by a friend, relative or perfect stranger who, with images of Katrina’s destruction fresh in his mind, reached his hand out to you. If you can, call or visit such a person to simply say “thank you.” Just as we remember the storm, we must remember their gracious acts. If you have a story of a Katrina hero that still involves a nameless face, still take a moment to reflect on him or her today. Or share your story with us. What cha say? Is there someone you want to remember or thank for their humanity after Katrina? Tell us who it is and how their acts impacted your life. Let’s never forget. Let’s never forget any of it.
