Peacock to premiere documentary from Pulitzer Prize- and Emmy Award-winning journalist Trymaine Lee

Peacock announced “Hope in High Water: A People’s Recovery Twenty Years After Hurricane Katrina,” a powerful new documentary created by Pulitzer Prize- and Emmy Award-winning journalist Trymaine Lee, will be available for streaming on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. 

The documentary, made possible with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), marks Lee’s return to New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He first reported on Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest disasters in American history, as part of the Times-Picayune newsroom. Twenty years later, “Hope in High Water” traces the arc of recovery through the voices of those who never left: local leaders who have spent two decades not only rebuilding but reimagining the systems that failed their communities long before the storm.

Featured grantees in “Hope in High Water”

“Hope in High Water” highlights just a few of the many extraordinary organizations and leaders who have spent the past two decades reimagining what recovery can look like. These WKKF grantees featured in the documentary reflect a much broader ecosystem of community-led work powering change across the Gulf South:

New Orleans

• Sankofa Community Development Corporation improves access to fresh food, health resources and green space in the Lower Ninth Ward.
• Grow Dat Youth Farm helps young people build leadership skills and gain work experience by growing food and working together to support their communities.
• STEM NOLA provides hands-on science, technology, engineering and math learning for children and families.
• Saul’s Light supports families navigating neonatal loss and advocates for maternal health equity.
• Ashé Cultural Arts Center is a vibrant cultural anchor in Central City that uses art, performance and cultural programming to support community and economic development.
• Black Education for New Orleans (BE NOLA) supports Black educators and schools to improve outcomes for Black children.

Mississippi

• Mississippi Center for Justice works to ensure families have access to healthcare, housing, education and legal support when their rights are at risk.
• Boat People SOS – Gulf Coast supports Vietnamese American families in East Biloxi with recovery services, language access and resources for small businesses and fishing families.

An inspection of what has become after the storm

From the frontlines of the floodwaters to the front porches of those who stayed and rebuilt, the documentary weaves together intimate storytelling, archival footage and unflinching reporting to reflect on what recovery has meant and what it still demands. With a focus on health, education, food access and environmental survival, the documentary uplifts the persistence and vision of educators, organizers, farmers and families to create lasting change from the ground up. It offers a portrait of a region still in motion, where progress is real and the work continues.

“‘Hope in High Water’ is about what it means to have your entire world upended and still find a way forward,” said Lee. “This is a story I’ve been living and telling for 20 years. From reporting on the devastation on the ground and in real time to returning with a new lens, I hope this documentary reminds people that while the waters may have receded, the fight for equity and belonging continues.”

Guided by its mission to create conditions where all children can thrive, WKKF has worked alongside communities in New Orleans and Mississippi since the 1940s, investing in locally driven efforts to improve health, education and economic opportunity. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, WKKF responded with $27 million in emergency funding to help meet urgent needs. Since then, the foundation has maintained a staffed presence in both New Orleans and Jackson and now invests approximately $34 million annually in efforts led by and for the people of the region.”

Upcoming “Hope in High Water” screenings

• Wednesday, Aug. 6 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. ET at The Charles Ogletree Public Forum Series. The event is free, open to the public and will be held at Union Chapel Education and Cultural Institute in Oak Bluffs, Mass. A livestream will also be available via Union Chapel’s Facebook page.
• Sunday, Aug. 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. CT at Ashé Cultural Arts Center in New Orleans.
• Monday, Aug. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. CT at Biloxi High School in Biloxi, Miss.

You can explore more stories about the leaders in the Gulf South stewarding transformational change and upcoming screenings by visiting the I Am New Orleans: Katrina 20 page.