Remembering Katrina, Building Resilience

By Leo Carney

This year marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a storm that forever changed the Gulf Coast and exposed deep injustices in how disaster response and recovery unfold in our communities. The Mississippi People’s Movement (MPM) joined commemoration ceremonies in both Benndale, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana, standing in solidarity with frontline communities still working toward justice, resilience, and healing.

In Benndale, Immaculate Heart Community Development Center, led by Mrs. Glenda and Mr. Bobby Perryman, hosted a powerful local gathering. Community members, organizers, and allies from across the nation came together to remember the lives lost, honor the ongoing struggles of survivors, and share tools for building stronger communities.

The Chicago-based People’s Response Network (PRN) sent Chairwoman Lonette Sims and Chairman Dr. Howard Ehrman to participate, strengthening long-standing ties between Mississippi and Chicago organizers. Dr. Geraldine Luna from Ujima Medics also joined as a panelist, offering powerful insights on mitigation strategies and community-based disaster response training. Her words underscored the importance of equipping ordinary people with the skills to save lives during crises.

MPM contributed by showcasing our solar microgrid trailer and solar-powered water generator, demonstrating practical tools that can help communities remain self-sufficient during climate disasters. We also distributed educational materials designed to help Mississippians better understand the intersections of climate, housing, and economic justice.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, TapRoot Earth hosted a commemorative gathering that amplified stories from across the Gulf South and beyond. Together, we connected with organizers from Appalachia and across the country, hearing powerful testimonies from communities still living with the impacts of displacement, environmental harm, and systemic neglect.

The Katrina 20 commemorations were more than memorial events — they were spaces of movement-building, where lessons of the past met visions for the future. For MPM, it was a reminder of our shared responsibility to build resilient, sustainable, and just communities in Mississippi and beyond.