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A message from the President & CEO: Linda Johnson Rice
Ebony, Sept, 2006 by Linda Johnson Rice
ONE year ago, we witnessed the incredible destruction that came as the result of Hurricane Katrina, which battered Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, literally changing the lives of thousands of people who, 12 months later, are still trying to put the pieces back together.
The tragic scenes from the Louisiana Superdome and the convention center, the agony and anguish on the faces of those who had been separated from their children and other family members, and the cries for help from those who had been washed from their homes are all a part of the horrible events that have been seared into our memory and are a permanent part of our consciousness.
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Those of us who haven't experienced such tragedy can't truthfully say we know what the victims are going through--the uncertainty, the pain, the aggravation--as they take careful but determined steps to resurrect their lives. But we can empathize and turn that empathy into something tangible that contribute to the greater good. The first step, at the very least, is to keep those who were victimized in our thoughts until everyone is able to enjoy some appreciable level of comfort and restoration.
Already, thousands of concerned and caring people have come together to help like never before in an incredible display of compassion and charity. People--young and old, and from all economic backgrounds--dug (and are still digging) deeply into their pockets to give whatever possible. Others quickly welcomed displaced evacuees into their homes, and at least 150 colleges around the country opened their doors and encouraged Dillard, Xavier and Southern University at New Orleans students to continue their education on their campuses while the New Orleans schools worked to rebound after the flooding.
The outpouring of generosity was one of the country's best moments, born as a result of one of its worst tragedies. But on the anniversary of one of this nation's greatest disasters, the struggle to rebound continues, further indicating that Katrina, as powerful as it was, failed to slam into submission the thousands who were in the path of her fury. In a display of resilience, New Orleanians and those along the Gulf Coast put on the helmet of hope and the breastplate of faith and are continuing the fight for resurrection.
In this issue, the special section, "Hurricane Katrina: One Year Later," not only highlights the status of the recovery, but it also celebrates the enduring spirit of a people to overcome. The special section includes five articles: "The Devastation, The Hope & The Recovery"; "The Evacuees: Where Are They Now, And Will They Return?"; "The Road To Recovery Along The Gulf Coast"; "Mayor Ray Nagin Speaks Out"; and Marc Morial, former two-term mayor of New Orleans and current president and CEO of the National Urban League, offers a unique perspective in his byline piece, "The Way I See It."
A wise person once said: "The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination." Through it all--the stumbling blocks, the government inaction, the overwhelming frustration--no one has proven to be more courageous and determined than the people of New Orleans and those along the Gulf Coast, all of whom are making that uphill climb to recovery one delicate and calculated step at a time.
They are inspiring. They are admirable. And most of all, they are not to be forgotten.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
