Being kicked while you’re down

If you have ever felt like you can’t catch a break, imagine feeling this way for five straight years.  Unfortunately, this has been a reality for some Gulf Coast residents for nearly half a decade.
Katrina delivered the first major punch in 2005, a blow from which the region is still desperately struggling to recover.  As [...]

4.

Four years ago, thousands of families were bracing for the worst.  Hurricane Katrina was about to make landfall.  They were evacuating as far as possible, facing “No Vacancy” signs at hotels for hundreds of miles.  They were crowded 10, 12, even 15 people deep in friends’ apartments.  They were packing provisions in their attics just [...]

A song of HOPE

In the process of producing Volunteers of Hope: Overcoming Katrina, we went on a mission for fitting music to accompany the stirring images shot in the prior months. One of the most poignant sections of the documentary displays pictures of Katrina’s destruction, so finding apt music proved particularly challenging.
While searching through my parents’ collections, I [...]

Stepping up

Through the anxiety of Hurricane Gustav and uncertainty of Hurricane Ike, I have witnessed people step up in tough circumstances. Fingers crossed that the levees would hold, evacuees almost dutifully made their way to vacant hotels or friends’ homes in nearby states. Grateful for the minimal damage of the first storm, neighbors have joined together [...]

The waiting game

First and foremost, I want to thank the people who have already purchased a copy of Volunteers of Hope: Overcoming Katrina. This documentary will provide you a positive look at the Gulf Coast, especially as it is potentially facing another round of negatives.
It’s mind-numbing to think that anything could be compared to Hurricane Katrina. I’ve [...]