Daijiworld Media Network - New Orleans
New Orleans, Aug 9: Twenty years after the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans is preparing to honor the anniversary with a series of commemorative events, workshops, and community service projects. The 2005 storm, one of the deadliest in U.S. history, claimed over 1,800 lives and forever changed the city.
In a Friday press conference, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced a week-long series of civic actions and public dialogues from August 23 to 30. "Today is really an opportunity to hit the reset button to reignite our community in unity that will take us 20 years from now," Cantrell said. She emphasized the theme of resilience, stating, "New Orleans is resilient, and we are uplifting and recognising how our residents continue to push forward."
The week of remembrance will begin on August 23 with a citywide Day of Service, bringing residents together for community revitalization projects, including the renewal of public playgrounds. On August 28, the New Orleans Jazz Museum will host a panel discussion, "The State of New Orleans Culture: 20 Years After Katrina," featuring artists and cultural leaders.
The anniversary of the storm's landfall, August 29, will be marked by the iconic Katrina March and Second Line, which will begin with a healing ceremony and conclude with a rally celebrating community resilience. The week will culminate on August 30 with the mayor's Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary Commemorative Summit, which will reflect on the storm's legacy, the city's recovery efforts, and ongoing challenges such as poor infrastructure and climate injustice in underserved communities.
Leading up to the main events, the city is already hosting a variety of activities, including art exhibitions, film screenings, and music showcases. The commemorations extend beyond Louisiana, with Mississippi hosting a photo exhibit titled "Hurricane Katrina: Mississippi Remembers" in Jackson. Nationally, documentaries and TV specials, such as The Weather Channel's "Katrina 20" and Spike Lee's Netflix series "Katrina: Come Hell and High Water," will revisit the storm's impact.
Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, causing more than 50 breaches in New Orleans' levee system and flooding approximately 80% of the city. The catastrophic storm submerged entire neighborhoods, displacing tens of thousands of residents and exposing critical failures in the city's infrastructure and emergency response.