New Orleans: Before and After Katrina
Throughout the program year, we will have 4 sessions of preparatory learning connected to disaster capitalism, extraction, and social dynamics, especially in the context of everything surrounding what happened with hurricane Katrina twenty years ago.
New Orleans is a beautiful, culturally rich city with a complex history, and we will be spending a week there with an amazing community partner, Ashana Bigard. Ashana is a life-long resident of New Orleans, a social justice organizer, and advocate for children and families in Louisiana. She will be teaching us about current day impacts of racism and classism in the wake of natural disasters through her first hand experience following hurricane Katrina. The program will focus on impacts on the public school system, land grabs, and community displacement, and we will hold those conversations in balance with opportunities to experience the joyful, and enduring sense of community that the people of New Orleans embody, and to witness brilliant stories of resistance from community organizers who are fighting for a better world.
Participation in the travel portion of this learning year is by choice. Those who wish to participate are expected to meet a number of expectations that will help keep the travel cost down, and will deepen the learning experience of this program.
PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS:
- 18 hours participating in fundraising
- Each family (including a parent and youth participant) to sign up for coordinating one fundraiser
- Regular attendance at youth group
- Attendance at all Learning Journey sessions (Parents are asked to attend final planning session in June if possible)
- We will share other pre-work and resources as the year goes on.
Dates of Learning Journey sessions:
| 11/23/25 | Learning Session 1 – 4:00-6:00 |
| 12/14/25 | Learning Session 2 – 4:00-6:00 |
| 2/8/26 | Learning Session 3- 4:00-6:00 at 292 State St |
| 4/12/26 | Learning Session 4- 4:00-6:00 |
| 6/14/26 | Learning Journey -trip prep session |
Please Read this: Parent/Youth Trip Info Sheet for other details
southchurch-uu-re.org 