August 29^th marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s destructive landfall in New Orleans. For five endless days the nation watched while 100,000 people, trapped by the floodwaters, struggled to survive. “They just left us here to die”? remarked one woman in the Superdome. Her words captured the sentiment of many survivors — that those too poor, too old, or too Black were just abandoned by the government.

Rarely have the savage inequalities of race and class in America been on such painful display. But faced with the biggest natural disaster in living memory, Bush and his crew responded by suspending prevailing wage laws, jettisoning affirmative action programs for federal contracting, and doling out billions to their political allies through no-bid contracts.

State and local officials were just as bad. For example, shortly after New Orleans was evacuated mayor Ray Nagin spirited off to Dallas to meet with “the forty thieves” – white business leaders pushing a corporate-led plan for reconstruction, with little room for the poor, Black folks who suffered so mightily during the storm.

One year later, rage and despair are still in plentiful supply. Once the floodwaters receded, New Orleans quickly fell out of the national spotlight. The city remains a war zone – with most of its infrastructure in shambles and the bulk of its population still scattered throughout the Diaspora.

Plans for real reconstruction are being smothered by corporate interests and white racism, and many social justice activists outside of the city think the “Katrina moment” has passed.

We think not. To mark the one-year anniversary, we have assembled this collection of articles by Solidarity members and friends to help us all understand the significance of Hurricane Katrina.

It remains to be seen if this disaster can be a catalyst for lasting social change, but as socialist-activists we know our role is to help build movements that make this a real possibility.

New Orleans One Year After Katrina: The War At Home

Joanna Dubinsky

Surviving When the State Disappeared: Community vs. Katrina

Suzi Weismann interviews Mike Davis

An Unfragmented Movement: The People are the City

Joanna Dubinsky interviews Shana Griffin

Racism Exposed, Radical Action Needed: From Paris to New Orleans

Malik Miah

Katrina Disaster: New Orleans - Urban Catastrophe

Robert Caldwell

From 9/11 to Katrina

The ATC Editors

---

Additional Katrina Resources

See on Against the Current website:
http://www.solidarity-us.org/katrinaresources

Resources from Solidarity

New Orleans One Year After Katrina: The War at Home

Joanna Dubinsky

Katrina Was Not a ’Natural Disaster’

A Solidarity Statement

An Unfragmented Movement: The People Are the City

Joanna Dubinsky interviews Shana Griffin

Surviving When the State Disappeared: Community Vs. Katrina

Suzi Weismann interviews Mike Davis

Racism Exposed, Radical Action Needed: From Paris to New Orleans

Malik Miah

Bush to Survivors: “You’re On Your Own”

Joanna Dubinsky

From 9/11 to Katrina

The ATC Editors

Resources from Other Allies

New Orleans - Urban Catastrophe

Robert Caldwell

Hurricane Katrina: The Black Nation’s 9/11

Saladin Muhammad

Monthly Review’s Webzine Articles on Katrina

MRzine

Left Turn - Special Collection on Katrina

Jordan Flaherty

Katrina’s Legacy: White Racism and Black Reconstruction in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

Eric Mann

Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster

Michael Eric Dyson

Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City

Jed Horne

Community Groups in New Orleans

New Orleans Worker Justice Coalition

Fighting for workers rights and racial justice, especially Black/Brown unity.

Advocates for Environmental Human Rights (AEHR)

Long-term fighters against environmental racism and advocates for a just Right of Return. Contact Monique Harden, mharden-aehr cox.net

Advocates for Louisiana Public Healthcare

Fighting for the reopening of the public hospital in New Orleans.

Common Ground

Volunteer organization offering mutual aid and support.

People’s Hurricane Relief Fund

Building a United Front for self-determination of African Americans and all New Orleanians in a just reconstruction of New Orleans.

People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond

Long-term anti-racism education and organizing group; provides educational workshops across the country.

Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children

Membership-based organization dedicated to creating a better life for all of Louisiana’s youth, especially those in the juvenile justice system.

Katrina Action/Katrina Information Network

Constant updates on ways to support the fight for social justice in New Orleans. Includes profiles of experts.

New Orleans Network

General information for social justice activists in New Orleans.

Green Party of Louisiana

Critical Resistance

National abolition group (with Chapter in New Orleans), building a campaign for amnesty for all arrested during Katrina.

Safe Streets, Strong Communities Coalition

Mission is to transform the New Orleans Criminal Justice System into one that creates safe streets and strong communities for everyone, regardless of race or economic status. Contact Norris Henderson, nhenderson jjpl.org

Survivor’s Village

Fighting for the reopening of public housing and affordable housing in New Orleans.

INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence

Building a women’s health clinic and organizing center in New Orleans. Contact Shana Griffin ambakeysha yahoo.com

Solidarity, New Orleans Branch

A socialist, feminist, anti-racist organization. email nolasolid yahoo.com
U.S. Human Rights Network

Atlanta-based organization which initiated a national campaign that calls on the US government to recognize Katrina survivors as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and to respect and adhere to the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.

Must See Film

When the Levees Broke by Spike Lee. The story of the struggle in New Orleans in the words of the people who experienced it. Illustrates the failures of the federal government. Released August 2006 by HBO.

Final Shot

The Legendary K.O. - George Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People

Kanye West’s comments caused an uproar in the days following the hurricane. But he didn’t back down, he responded in classic K.O. style.