Though a grim tone still lingers around Hurricane Katrina, the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library in Baton Rouge sought to focus on progress made since the hurricane made landfall a decade ago at Saturday’s event.
“Katrina Voices: And We’re Still Standing,” a three-part series on Katrina began with a prayer by pastor J. Bertell Davis and featured four panelists and a guest speaker who personally experienced Katrina .
“As part of the East Baton Rouge library system, our mission as a community service organization is to connect our citizens with information, resources, materials, technology and experiences in order to make a positive difference in their lives,” said Nicole Wilson, East Baton Rouge Parish Library staff member.
The panelists included Jane Parker, a retired registered nurse as well as, Thomas Neff, a photographer and professor emeritus of the LSU School of Art, Leroy Montreuil, a retired real estate agent.
Neff had a selection of photos from his recent book, “Holding Out and Hanging On: Surviving Hurricane Katrina” on display, with accompanying narratives.
Neff explained that the photographs represent his efforts as a photographer as he acted as a first responder during the storm’s aftermath.
“I don’t record [interviewees] and take notes,” Neff said. “I became their friend and they trusted me, so the stories began to happen when I made some notes afterward.”
All of his pictures were taken with a large format camera, producing five by seven inch negative photographs, which were later enlarged, showcasing haunting sights from Katrina’s aftermath.
Montreuil grew up and lived in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans and spoke fondly of the area before the storm. He said it was the community who fought together to better its neighborhoods.
He said he’s now witnessed the area fighting again for many of the same reasons he witnessed growing up.
“The next question to ask is, ‘Where has recovery fallen short?’”, Montreuil said. “And I say that the recovery has fallen short because of the bureaucracy and red tape that exists [in New Orleans].”
Guest speaker Cheryl Taylor, chair of the Southern University at Baton Rouge graduate nursing program and who was also a commissioner of the 2006 Katrina National Justice Hearing, spoke on her time with first responders after the storm.
Taylor’s speech included uplifting messages of support and her admiration for public libraries and workers, referring to them as first responders because of the way they assisted during and after the storm.
“Yes, we did have losses, but we are survivors,” Taylor said.
There also were musical performances by the Magnolia Baptist Church Choir, 14-year-old guitarist, vocalist and New Orleans native Destiny Manzella and The Voices of Distinction, local singer Audrey Ferguson’s gospel group.
To close the event in a spirit of unity, Taylor invited the audience to read a litany together and attend a reception with the unveiling of a Katrina-themed community quilt.
