Why We as Americans Should Remember Hurricane Katrina
Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana
It’s hurricane season and it’s that time of the year that brings me back to my why of becoming a holistic psychotherapist. Back when I was a frustrated college student around 19 years ago, feeling lost and unsure of my path, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005. Witnessing the devastation on the news changed everything for me. It was one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. It is the storm that changed the trajectory of my life and guided me to where I am today where my work sits at the intersection of trauma healing, attachment healing, and ecotherapy.
First, it was watching the news coverage, seeing the expressions of despair, confusion, and suffering. It was the entrapment of people like they were animals, the abandonment, watching helplessly as people were being left behind and left for dead. Then it was watching Kanye West’s raw emotions speaking truth to power when he courageously spoke “George Bush doesn't care about Black people.” The tipping point for me came when Barbara Bush referred to her fellow citizens as "refugees," distancing them from their shared humanity. This moment triggered a range of intense emotions and a strong urge to take action. Every Hurricane season, I sit in reflection and I remember Hurricane Katrina. It reaffirms my commitment to doing the work that I do prioritizing the unique mental health & spiritual needs of Black, Indigenous, and marginalized communities. However, what happened with Hurricane Katrina concerns us all and we each have a role to play when it comes to healing collectively from this historical wound. Therefore in the name of liberation, justice, and progress for all we should make it a ritual to sit in reflection and jog our collective memory to remember Hurricane Katrina.
What happens when we don’t remember our history?
While oftentimes forgetting history is a survival strategy to avoid pain or conflict, it often results in more suffering and wounds. By suppressing the pain, we end up with increased fragmentation and unresolved trauma which we are bound to repeat. What happens when we bury the pain and attempt to move on without repair? The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina had a lasting impact on our collective soul and psyche. Ignoring the pain and trying to move forward without healing leads to suffering and the lingering effects of past traumas. The ghosts of Katrina manifest in our actions, fears, and defenses, affecting us all. The legacy of Hurricane Katrina is not an isolated incident; there are ongoing echoes of similar events rooted in our racialized history.
We cannot afford to forget, approximately 80% of New Orleans was submerged under floodwater post Hurricane Katrina - she demands for us to remember. The levees broke - designed by the state to protect the people ended up annihilating the people. This caused widespread destruction to homes, businesses, and infrastructure and the official death toll from Hurricane Katrina is estimated to be around 1,800 people. Hurricane Katrina caused an estimated $125 billion worth of damage and they are still rebuilding the communities that were most impacted- she demands for us to remember. What happens to our souls when we forget our history? What are the implications for our children and their future when we forget our history? Societies risk repeating the same mistakes when history is forgotten and becomes difficult to hold individuals or institutions accountable for past actions. Understanding history helps us understand who we are today and can help us decide where we want to go in the future.
From "Memoirs of the Lower 9th Ward" located in New Orleans, Louisiana
Nature as Our Teacher
What was Hurricane Katrina trying to communicate to us? What did she want us to feel? For us to change? Hurricanes are intense tropical storm systems known for their strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges. They build their energy over warm ocean waters and can cause significant damage to coastal and inland areas. Symbolically, hurricanes can represent power, purification, emotional release, and profound change. They can be seen as a potent symbol for life's transformative processes and the resilience needed to navigate them. The deep-rooted wounds of this nation trace back to the land, involving the displacement, enslavement, and genocide of Black and Indigenous communities. I can’t help but think about what Hurricane Katrina wanted to teach us about this legacy of our relationship with the land. What was Hurricane Katrina trying to communicate to us? What did she want us to feel? For us to change?
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, numerous low-income and Black communities situated in less resilient areas, including those below sea level or in flood-prone zones, were disproportionately affected due to historical housing policies and economic disparities, making them more susceptible to the storm's impact. These neighborhoods, long neglected and underinvested in, had homes in poor condition, making them some of the worst-hit areas. The levee systems, intended to protect New Orleans residents and funded by taxpayers, were inadequate and poorly maintained. It took several days for one of the world's "wealthiest" countries to respond with substantial aid and disaster relief, leaving many New Orleans residents who were disproportionately Black to fend for themselves, facing severe shortages of essential supplies. The extreme heat and overcrowded conditions worsened the situation, resulting in dehydration, exhaustion, and health crises. Due to insufficient medical care, individuals with pre-existing conditions suffered, with instances of heatstroke, infections, and fatalities reported. The desperation and dire circumstances led to increased violence and chaos. The contaminated floodwaters, filled with sewage, exposed residents to various health risks. What was Hurricane Katrina trying to communicate to us? What did she want us to feel? For us to change?
Remembering
Amnesia and the defensive mechanism of repressing painful memories are intrinsic to human nature, yet they can result in prolonged suffering over time. Thus, transforming the act of remembering into a collective ritual is important, as a shared historical understanding promotes dialogue and unity in society. By transforming remembrance into a ritual, we acknowledge that a collective understanding of history serves as a foundation for fostering communication and solidarity in communities. Particularly for individuals and groups who have endured historical traumas, the process of remembering and acknowledging history plays a crucial role in their path to healing.
A significant aspect of my work involves guiding clients through forgotten, exiled, and repressed parts of themselves, often concealed due to fear and shame linked to painful memories. However, true growth does not stem from avoidance. In reality, evading pain leads to further disconnection and a sense of being lost in the shadows. It is critical to remember the impacts of Hurricane Katrina. To remember the genocide that took place - at least 1800 documented people lost their lives. To remember the violence and police brutality against the civilians. To remember the environmental and climate injustices. To remember that New Orleans survived and withstood the worst of Hurricane Katrina and that the tragedy of Katrina was a man-made disaster. To remember the destruction, families being torn apart & forcefully separated. To remember their faces. To remember that these were our fellow kin and human beings who deserved safety, care, protection, and dignity. To remember that these individuals had dreams, aspirations, and loved ones. To remember to embrace not only New Orleans’s rhythm but also its blues. To remember that it is our responsibility to become the leaders we are waiting for to bring about change in our lives and communities. Remember. Remember. Remember.
N. Claiborne Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana
Our Opportunity
During graduate school, one of my professors shared something with me that I will always remember. In Chinese, the symbol for "crisis" is written as 危机 (wéijī), representing both danger and opportunity, reflecting a traditional interpretation of the characters:
危 (wēi): This character means "danger" or "peril."
机 (jī): This character means "opportunity" or "chance."
This is why remembering Hurricane Katrina should be a collective ritual to remember, serving as a national day of mourning. To remember the crisis for what it was, ensuring that it serves as a lesson to prevent such atrocities in the future. Hurricane Katrina is an American story that exposed the vulnerabilities and neglect that Black, Indigenous, low-income communities face. It is critical to reflect on this disaster, learn from nature's power, and seize the opportunity for systemic change. From poor management to investing & rehearsing for disaster preparedness, from “lego-levees” to robust structures capable of withstanding environmental challenges. From abandonment to adequate response and support. From neglect to care. From prioritizing some of us to protecting the whole of us.
https://thelensnola.org/2015/07/20/katrina-fact-check-guesstimate-of-katrinas-flooding-in-new-orleans-was-correct/
https://www.datacenterresearch.org/data-resources/katrina/facts-for-impact/
https://www.history.com/news/hurricane-katrina-facts-legacy
https://www.vox.com/2015/8/23/9191907/hurricane-katrina