Race in New Orleans: Shaping the Response to Katrina?

The frustration and anger over the slow federal response to hurricane Katrina's destruction and aftermath continues to mount. The disturbing images are revealing: bodies floating through floodwaters, thousands of desperate survivors clamoring for food and distraught families with stricken children. Throughout all this, one thing is starkly evident: the vast majority of victims are black. African American leaders and activists are saying better planning and response by federal authorities could have lessened the severity of the hurricane's impact. Race and class are becoming central to the discussion about what happened in the cities torn apart in the last few days.

* Damu Smith, Executive Director of National Black Environmental Justice Network and founder of Black Voices for Peace.
* Dr. Beverly Wright, founder and Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Xavier University in New Orleans.

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http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/02/1419218