Spotlight- “Katrina: Come Hell and High Water”on Netflix

     I recently watched the three-part docuseries Katrina: Come Hell and High Water. It details what took place after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans 20 years later. These people did not just endure one day of suffering following the hurricane. It took a few days for most of them to just receive food and water alone. As someone with a fast metabolism, I can’t even imagine not having access to food for days under circumstances that were not about financial security. There were a few different topics discussed in this docuseries. It’s important to refresh our memories for those if us who were around during that time. And, it’s important that the story is forever mentioned in American History. So, here they are…

1. Government Response: A lot was done wrong during this time. The biggest being the rescue process. It took 3 days from landfall of the storm for any type of rescue attempt to take place. There were so many players in the government. But because there was no unity everyone failed to come together to help the residents affected. Also, prior to this event, it was known that New Orleans is positioned below sea level. Building a better system to protect the area was something that should have been budgeted by the government years before.
2. Trauma: For the survivors who were awaiting rescue and resources, they began looting stores for food and fresh clothing.  What the government did to combat this was to bring in armed national guards and officers. This all before providing transportation and food to help the residents. What took place was violence and intimidation making those trying to survive appear as criminals instead of victims of the government’s failure to help in a timely manner. These people lost families, saw dead bodies floating in the street, and dealt with dehydration among other things. All trauma that can last a lifetime. Even in the pursuit of being rescued racism was present. A poor area of mostly white residents saw the black residents of another area as criminals instead of victims as used violence as well.
3. Displacement: There were some people who had the means to leave prior to the storm hit. Then there were many people who could not leave and had to be rescued days later. What was true for both groups is that where they went or were taken is where they stayed. There was nothing for them to come back to. The poorer sections of New Orleans such as the lower ninth ward were destroyed. There were no resources to immediately rebuild. Many ended up in Texas and Atlanta and started a new life. In present time, New Orleans population has decreased by 20% and a large part are the Black and Brown residents.
4. Rebuilding: There was a program promoted by the actor Brad Pitt that sort to help people return to New Orleans a few years later. Trailer type homes were provided at a very discounted price to rebuild the poorer neighborhoods. As time has passed, most of these homes have required increased repairs that have financially drained these owners, and some people had to get a new residence. Also, crime rates and education system failures were mentioned to show how after 20 years, very few resources have been put into the city for the former residents. Gentrification has now become the direction of rebuilding.  

     This docuseries was a tearjerker at many points, but it is one to watch. Let us not forget all the people affected by Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago.