Katrina: The Face Of New Orleans

New Orleans is in a state of crisis and it black population is suffering. Over 80 percent of the city is flooded. Many people are without food and water. On an average day, the weather can be anywhere between 90 to 100 degrees. Crime is on the rise due to the desperate attempt to survive in a climate that is increasingly deteriorating. Some people are so poor that relocation will just complicate their situation. Outside help is very minimum and almost non-existant in many parts of the city. Concentration seems to be on individuals who LOOT (many of
these people are just taking what they need) as opposed to helping these people get out of New Orleans. There hasn't been electricity since Monday and many of these people are becoming desperate. And with desperation comes all kinds of behaviors that can be detrimental to the rescue process.

Have done research on this manner, these problems I just mentioned were there for a very long time. But is it wasn't until the after-effects of Katrina that brought this manner to the forefront.   First of all, the amount of black people who are unemployed in New Orleans is close to 70 percent. THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION! And that alone can bring on the amount of violence that we hear in the media. But even though the situation has become more complicated because of it, the majority of the people from the city of Louisiana are hanging in there. They are assisting each other and making every effort to ensure their safety.

Children wait for assistance on roof
A prisoner from the New Orleans Parish Prison is escorted by authorities to sit on a freeway overpass with other prisoners after their jail was evacuated

Flooded streets

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, left, Councilman Oliver Thomas and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco speak during a news conference about Hurricane Katrina

Volunteers pass out Meals-Ready To-Eat (MRE) to cars full of residnts who waited hours in line for aide at the Mobile Greyhound Park where relief supplies were being distributed following Hurricane Katrina

New Orleans Police and volunteers use boats to rescue residents from a flooded neighborhood on the east side of New Orleans.