| With
far too little
help from those
that owed it to
them, the poor
bore the brunt
of the Gulf Coast
disaster. Evacuations
were ordered too
late and left
many behind. As
a result, the
residents of traditionally
poor and minority
communities suffered
incalculable losses
and endured unimaginable
conditions. The
few facilities
that did exist
to help victims
quickly became
miserable, dangerous
places.
Now, the victims
of Hurricane
Katrina find
themselves spread
across the United
States, far
from the homes
they left, and
forced to start
anew. Families
are struggling
to secure jobs,
homes, schools,
and a sense
of place in
unfamiliar surroundings.
Meanwhile, the
rebuilding of
their former
home cities
remains out
of their hands.
Many fear that
unique black
communities
like that of
New Orleans’
Ninth Ward will
be lost forever.
The stories
of the men and
women who survived
Hurricane Katrina,
only to be victimized
again by their
own government,
are not only
compelling,
but also revealing
about the racial
and economic
rifts that continue
to plague American
cities. Still,
major news outlets
chose to ignore
these individuals,
placing far
more value on
roving reporters
and analysts.
Voice of Witness’s
second book
will feature
the candid recollections
of the victims
of Hurricane
Katrina, filling
in a crucial
gap in the understanding
of this disaster.
Voice of Witness
is currently
collecting and
transcribing
interviews with
displaced victims
in Houston and
with those who
have returned
to New Orleans.
Excerpts from
some of these
interviews can
be found here.
|
