"Everything in life is a privilege, not a right. And I never believed that until I lost it all."
Melissa Woodruff, an eleventh-grader from Biloxi, wrote these words based on her experiences following Hurricane Katrina, which hit the Gulf Coast three years ago this month.
In the months and years following the storm, glaring truths about poverty and wealth inequality in the U.S. were revealed. In the wake of Katrina, thousands of families—disproportionately African American—were literally left behind, trapped by their economic circumstances. Today many are unable to return due to the persistent poverty that still plagues their lives.
The poverty and classism exposed by Hurricane Katrina are not just problems for those who were in the path of the devastation—they are problems that affect millions of people across the U.S. According to the US Census Bureau, more than 35 million Americans live below the poverty line, including about 13 million children; and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates that 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year.
As the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, the Anti-Defamation League features books that help students to understand the impact of the storm on children in the Gulf Coast and to explore the broader issues of poverty and economic inequality.
A homeless boy and his father, who doesn’t earn enough to pay the rent, live in an airport, moving from terminal to terminal. The boy describes their existence—sleeping sitting up, washing in the restroom and trying not to be noticed. The boy’s loneliness, anger and longing are vividly described in text and pictures. Though the book does not have a simplistic, happy ending, there is a reassuring togetherness between father and son and the boy finds a glimmer of hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.
Andre dreads Thursdays. Thursday is the day before Mama gets paid at work each week - and the day when money is tight and spirits are low for Andre and his older brother and sister. As report card day approaches, Andre is excited because he anticipates making the honor roll, and Mama has promised a royal party for just such an event. But to Andre's dismay, report card day falls on a Thursday. This is a tale of how, despite limited means, a single mother and her children find a creative way to celebrate a son's achievement.
The Storm: Students of Biloxi, Mississippi Remember Hurricane Katrina Barbara Barbieri McGrath (author)
Eleventh-grade Melissa Woodruff writes, "Everything in life is a privilege, not a right. And I never believed that until I lost it all." This is one of the many reflections included in this collection of stories, poems and artwork from 91 survivors of Hurricane Katrina in grades K-12 from the Biloxi, Mississippi, area. The author organized "Books for Biloxi" to help restock the Biloxi school libraries after the devastation, and a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this book are donated to Biloxi Public Schools.
