Black communities in Southeast Louisiana have historically faced some of the most devastating impacts of hurricanes and floods- from the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, to Hurricane Betsy, to Hurricane Katrina and now Hurricane Ida. The combination of racist housing policies, environmental racism, and disaster capitalism have led to racial disparities in storm preparation and response. Ruth Wilson Gilmore defines racism as "the state-sanctioned or extralegal production and exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerability to premature death." This definition encapsulates the impacts of anti-Blackness in government policy and practice around hurricane response and mitigation. 

And yet, Black communities have always resisted racism at every turn- often times most clearly in the wake of disasters. From maroons and mutual aid societies to modern day organizing against gentrification and displacement, Black organizers in Southeast Louisiana have developed multigenerational wisdom around survival, solidarity and self-determination. This panel will touch on some of the different lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, reflect on some of the unique aspects of Hurricane Ida, and will look towards the future to imagine new possibilities for hurricane responses. 

Panelists: 

• Toya Ex (Fund the People, Project Hustle)
• Alfred Marshall (Voice of the Experienced
• Tawana Ewing (Education advocate)
• Angel Chung Cutno (Educator, Mutual aid organizer)
• Stephanie Cooper (Rise St. James)

Title Sponsors: the Black Student Union of Tulane University

Supporting Partners: NTC First Year Experience, Tulane Libraries, CACTUS, Newcomb Institute, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Bywater Institute, New Orleans Center for the Gulf South, Newcomb Art Museum, Center for Public Service

All funds for this panel will support directly impacted Black organizers and their communities. To further support their work, and their personal recovery post-Ida, you can show financial solidarity for each panelist using the online links below:

Support our speakers Post-Ida recovery efforts:

Toya Ex:

• Venmo: @mintygreen
• CashApp: $lovevolved
• PayPal: paypal.me/toyaex