As captured in Katrina: Come Hell and High Water and other accounts of the disaster, the storm exposed glaring racial and economic divides that remain 20 years later
May I recommend the more intimate documentary "Trouble the Water"? It's spectacular. And may I recommend listening to WWOZ fm New Orleans this weekend? The all-volunteer cast of DJs is knowledgeable, passionate, and fun, and they deserve our support on this fraught weekend. Many will be playing flood songs and NOLA musicians. Stream anywhere for free, and be sure to donate if you can; they just lost their public radio funding! https://www.wwoz.org/listen/player/
Commentary and remembrances like this help to underscore the wisdom of moving FEMA out from under DHS and Secretary Noem. Can anyone imagine how totally F**ked up will be FEMA's response to the next Katrina or Andrew or Helene? Their philosophy so far seems to denigrate experience.
I am in the process of reading Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, by John Barry. The racial issues and racism -- and incompetence -- we saw in Katrina were prominent in that flood, too. The Atlantic recently did a single story update on their Floodlines series: https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/08/floodlines-rebirth/683696/
I worry about more such disasters with the proven climate crisis and a president and DHS secretary who fail to see the role of the federal government in such disasters, natural or not.
Some of the survivors I met from New Orleans while checking them into our city's large entertainment center for cots, showers and food were so sweet or yet terrified that it made me cry as I couldn't really help. I listened to their stories and was glad to later see computers and phones brought in so these strong people could try to contact family.
May I recommend the more intimate documentary "Trouble the Water"? It's spectacular. And may I recommend listening to WWOZ fm New Orleans this weekend? The all-volunteer cast of DJs is knowledgeable, passionate, and fun, and they deserve our support on this fraught weekend. Many will be playing flood songs and NOLA musicians. Stream anywhere for free, and be sure to donate if you can; they just lost their public radio funding! https://www.wwoz.org/listen/player/
Wonderful recs -- thank you for sharing. I will definitely be listening to WWOZ.
Commentary and remembrances like this help to underscore the wisdom of moving FEMA out from under DHS and Secretary Noem. Can anyone imagine how totally F**ked up will be FEMA's response to the next Katrina or Andrew or Helene? Their philosophy so far seems to denigrate experience.
Highly recommend Sarah Broom’s memoir: The Yellow House. NYT Best Seller and National Book Award for Nonfiction.
I am in the process of reading Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, by John Barry. The racial issues and racism -- and incompetence -- we saw in Katrina were prominent in that flood, too. The Atlantic recently did a single story update on their Floodlines series: https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/08/floodlines-rebirth/683696/
I worry about more such disasters with the proven climate crisis and a president and DHS secretary who fail to see the role of the federal government in such disasters, natural or not.
Some of the survivors I met from New Orleans while checking them into our city's large entertainment center for cots, showers and food were so sweet or yet terrified that it made me cry as I couldn't really help. I listened to their stories and was glad to later see computers and phones brought in so these strong people could try to contact family.