A version of this piece originally appeared on the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors website.
FEMA trailer camp, Plaquemines Parish, La. Photo: Marni Rosen
The many communities of color along the Gulf Coast, be they African American, Creole, Native American, or Vietnamese American, have much in common — and not just because they’re still struggling to get back on their feet after Hurricane Katrina’s 20-foot storm surge flooded them in August 2005. These communities have been systemically marginalized for years, and Katrina and Rita only accelerated the process. Their land is literally on the verge of disappearing, whether through coastal erosion, urban sprawl, or contamination. It threatens to take with it the incredibly rich and irreplaceable culture of these communities of self-described Bayou people.
This August, hordes of press descended to report on the second anniversary of Katrina. But when they departed, they left behind communities whose work is far from done. I spoke with leaders from two such communities: Turkey Creek, near Gulfport on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; and Grand Bayou in lower Plaquemines Parish, at th... Read more
