Assisted Resettlement and Community Viability on Louisiana's Gulf Coast Proceedings of a Workshop (2023) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
5 Resettling and Receiving Stories from Across Louisiana
5 Resettling and Receiving Stories from Across Louisiana
Pages 45-54
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 45... ...
As he watched the Vietnamese community bounce back from heavy flooding, wind damage, and long-term displacement after Hurricane Katrina, his takeaway was that the Vietnamese community -- with regard to standard disaster recovery measures, compared to other communities that suffered similar amounts of flooding, damage, and displacement -- did quite well. For example, even though the Vietnamese community had measurable mental and physical health declines after Katrina, they bounced back fairly quickly, compared to everyone else.
|
From page 46... ...
Every family and community experienced challenges after Katrina, but Nguyen echoed VanLandingham's observation that part of the culture of the Vietnamese community involves taking action and moving forward as a community. She noted that the community was able to work together and quickly tackle many issues facing residents after Katrina thanks 40 "The BP Oil Spill," also known as the "Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill," began when an oil rig called "Deepwater Horizon" exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana, on April 20 2010.
|
From page 47... ...
The Vietnamese community has managed to sustain its cultural and historical knowledge and preserve traditions for future generations. E xamples Nguyen mentioned were the Tet festival43 and the Vietnamese Farmers Market, from which many people benefit.
|
From page 48... ...
While this caused conflict in Ninth Ward commu nities, residents' commitment to each other -- born of long-standing, deeply intertwined relationships and strong sense of community and culture -- overcame such conflict, facilitating the recovery of the community. As Butler noted, "Though typically described as poor, the community was a rich amalgam of middle class, a few rich, and many working poor families who shared resources and support for each other and their children." Butler noted that some people still suffer from post-traumatic stress dis order and mental health issues related to Hurricane Katrina and the loss of community.
|
From page 49... ...
, many homeless people were transported to other cities. When they returned, they were dropped off at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles without any further transportation being provided and, as a result, "no way to get back to their normal neighborhood of homelessness." Also, they could not get assistance to replace their tents, cooking materials, and other possessions "because FEMA doesn't respond to you if you don't have a home." Knowles noted that in her case, thanks to individuals like Robertson and the Sulphur community, she is fortunate to no longer be one of the people who are still struggling.
|
From page 50... ...
Instead of relying exclusively on resilient communities that people have created on their own, he hopes governments and institutions can be more welcoming and willing to act to receive and help those in need, especially following major events. PERSON-TO-PERSON EXPERIENCES AND COMMUNITY RESPONSES The panel moderator, Shana Walton, Toups Professor of Cultural S tudies, Department of English, Modern Languages, and Cultural Studies at Nicholls State University, and a member of the Louisiana Folklore Society, started the roundtable discussion by highlighting that all participants had pointed out institutional failures or gaps.
|
From page 51... ...
One study that VanLandingham has 48 More information on the Open Door Biker Church is available at: https://www.odbcsulphur. com/ 49 More information on the Sulphur Christian Community Coalition is available at: https:// sulphurccc.org/ 50 More information on the ROC Church is available at: https https://therocchurch.com/ 51 More information on the Road Home Program is available at: https https://www.road2la.
|
From page 52... ...
He emphasized that, at the same time, many people who wanted to come back did not have the wherewithal to do so. TRANSFERABLE LESSONS FROM SHORT TERM DISASTER DISPLACEMENTS Regarding short-term disaster displacement, committee member Craig Colten inquired about possible intersection points and transferable lessons that might help prepare for longer-term responses, such as resettlement, to climate change and coastal land loss.
|
From page 53... ...
noted the role of cultural events as potential places for resettlement discussions. Walton mentioned that Lafayette made the Festival International de Louisiane54 larger and more welcoming, while Knowles noted that a program with a festival called "Taking it to the Streets" aimed at helping homeless people.55 Nguyen gave two examples of events in New Orleans East -- Jingle on the Boulevard Parade56 and bringing back Mardi Gras.
|
From page 54... ...
Butler mentioned that something similar happened after Hurricane Laura in New Orleans where thousands of people from the Lake Charles area were able to stay in downtown hotels. Walton closed the panel by noting she supported the idea of "cousin cities." CLOSING REMARKS Colten closed the session by highlighting several points made by the panelists: • Space and support may be essential to sustain the cultures and traditions of communities, both in places where communities are dis-assembling as well as where they are re-assembling; • Housing stock -- for people relocating into an area, or even just seeking temporary shelter -- can be helpful for those people hoping to find a place to live.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.