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My dearest children, For the past ten years on August 29th, I have taken this day, the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, to reflect on our Katrina story. Growing up here in New Orleans, you will come to learn that everyone...
I’d never lived anywhere with spirit. Growing up an Air Force brat, most of the places I’d called “home” consisted of people whose actual homes were in different states or even different countries. We were all transplants; our housing was temporary....
I wandered around the streets looking for an internet café. It was 2005, well before smart phones gave us the ability to walk around with information at our fingertips. And, of course, this was the week my laptop had...
"I'll finish this wedding album Monday," I thought to myself. It was finally Friday, and near the end of the workday. My plans for the weekend were simple: have a relaxing evening with my husband, maybe head to a friend's house, take...
The first time I came to New Orleans, I was a high school senior considering Tulane University. After spending an afternoon in the French Quarter, before I had even set foot on Tulane’s campus, I knew I was going...
I never thought I would be grateful for Hurricane Katrina. Certainly, I learned much about humanity, family, and resiliency. And for those lessons and experiences, I am grateful. I would not have met my now ex-husband, if not for...
It's been 9 years. The memories are fuzzy, fading slightly. But some things will never be forgotten. How I evacuated with my boyfriend of a few months, wearing only a bathing suit and cover-up. Literally, no underwear. I was...
It’s August 28, 2005.  We watch helplessly as long lines of New Orleanians make their way into the Superdome, clutching pillowcases, suitcases, and small children.  We watch this scene on a small TV screen in New York’s JFK airport, squeezed into...
My family has lived in New Orleans for generations. I remember them talking about Betsy all the time, “I didn’t evacuate for Betsy” and “I survived Betsy” blah blah blah. But this storm coming, this storm was different. It...
Everyone has their Katrina story. I'm very lucky that mine is not terrible or tragic like so many are. Mine is a tale of inconvenience, more than anything. When I evacuated on Saturday, August 27, I was headed to my...
As Director of Operation Playground for KaBOOM!, I saw a lot in New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina, but I’ll never forget the first time I saw ‘Play World’ in New Orleans. It was a...

The Toyota Effect

Disclosure :: This post was created in partnership with our sponsor Toyota.  The Toyota Effect When you think of the brand name Toyota, you probably think of cars. But did you know that Toyota has a greater mission? Toyota believes that organizations should...
In August 2005 I was an 18-year-old college sophomore who had just decided to move back to New Orleans. A few days before the storm I evacuated with friends and family, as we had done so many times before....
Let’s face it Louisiana, it’s been a tough week.  Scratch that. It’s been a tough month. From police shootings to protests and now watching the floodwaters rise and fall while waiting to see which neighborhood the river will consume next has...