WKKF marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina with stories of recovery and leadership

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, we honor the people and communities of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast who have led the way in rebuilding and reimagining a more just future. Katrina was one of the most painful chapters in our nation’s history — a disaster that destroyed homes and lives while exposing deep injustices in the systems that should protect and serve us all.

“From the very beginning, this story has never just been about the storm — it has been about the people,” said La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “In the days, months and years since, it was community that led the way. Elders offered wisdom. Organizers mobilized. Families, educators and faith leaders rebuilt not just physical spaces but systems rooted in dignity, equity and care for children. Community leaders showed us what true recovery requires: proximity, trust and staying power, lessons that continue to shape our work today. We remember those we lost, recognize the leaders who helped guide recovery and celebrate the work of those leading today — across classrooms, clinics, advocacy spaces and neighborhoods — shaping a future that ensures all children and families thrive.”

WKKF is commemorating the anniversary by highlighting stories of perseverance and leadership from Mississippi’s Gulf Coast and New Orleans:

• “Hope in High Water: A People’s Recovery Twenty Years After Hurricane Katrina:” This documentary by Pulitzer Prize- and Emmy Award–winning journalist Trymaine Lee highlights community leaders driving change in health, education, food access and climate resilience in New Orleans and along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. “Hope in High Water” is now streaming on Peacock. 
• Rooted in Us: Through personal reflections from W.K. Kellogg Foundation grantees, community leaders and cultural elders, this storytelling series celebrates hard-won progress while holding space for remembrance and the ongoing work to build a just future. 
• Born After the Storm: This podcast features 15 New Orleans high school students who came together to reclaim the legacy of Hurricane Katrina – through their own voices and stories passed down by their families, schools and neighborhoods. 

To explore these stories, visit iamneworleansvoices.com/katrina20. Visit our website to learn more about WKKF’s work in Mississippi and New Orleans.