In post-Katrina Louisiana and Mississippi there has been a dramatic void of the voices of those most impacted – communities of color and low income communities. People are still living a veritable nightmare. People’s Production House has been intimately involved in training and reporting projects since the days after the hurricane and have been building relationships and training organizers to make their own media. We believe that it is imperative that the most affected people be the protagonists of how their stories are told. To do this we have already engaged in intensive media justice workshops with the following groups:
Moore Community House
What happens when your community does not receive assistance to rebuild homes and move residents back after a huge natural disaster? What happens when the only union work available is for "able bodied men"? Well, if you are like the women of the Moore Community House in Gulfport, Mississippi, you train your community in construction work and begin doing it yourself. La Wanda White of the Moore Community House has this report from Gulfport, MI. Listen to the piece. Learn more about Moore Community House
North Gulfport Community Land Trust
Hurricane Katrina wiped out the coastline in Mississippi. Many folks who lived their either couldn't afford to rebuild or afford the insurance cost to stay there. So big developers moved in and bought many of the former residents' property. Now 2 years later the major development happening along the coast is coming from large casinos. And residents from the nearby African American communities say the development is changing the face of their neighborhoods. Jason Mackenzie of the North Gulfport Community Land Trust brings us this report. Listen to the piece. Learn more about North Gulfport Community Land Trust
Coastal Women For Change
With little government assistance, too many bureaucratic obstacles to jump through, and an insurance industry that found outs every step of the way, women from all over the gulf coast had to come together to help those in need. One group of women created "Coastal Women for Change" to fill the huge void in Biloxi, Mississippi. They began providing vital services like childcare and information that residents desperately needed but were not receiving such as their land rights and programs available to them for relief. Coastal Women for Change reporters Sharon Hanshaw and Cass Woods bring us this story. Listen to the piece. Learn more about Coastal Women For Change
Mississippi Workers Center
Following the devastations of hurricane Katrina, many people were left homeless in Gulfport Mississippi. Two years later, the pace of the rebuilding process is said to be very slow, and residents living in FEMA trailers constantly face difficulties when repair is needed. Anchanese Levison of the Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights, a community organizing group that helps residents in housing crisis, files this report. Listen to the piece. Learn more about the Mississippi Workers Center
United Houma Nation and the Teen Learning Center of Renaissance Village
After Katrina many survivors were moved into large FEMA trailer parks. 2 Years later, they remain warehoused in these trailer parks. Renaissance Village, 100 miles from New Orleans is one such trailer park, which is the largest FEMA trailer park in the country. With 500 trailers, many residents have been stuck there for close to two years. This piece was produced by youth who live in the trailer park – Eric Walker, Rasheka London and Keyana London, with help from youth from the United Houma Nation, Dana Solet and Cacinda Voisin. Listen to the piece. Learn more about the United Houma Nation
Documenting the process
Videographer Jacquie Soohen documented the Baton Rouge trainings: