‘Even in decay, life continues.’
Inspired by the floodwaters after Katrina and the birth of his son, photographer Gus Bennett created a new photography series, Organic Watermarks
Recent Posts
Finding hard-fought stability after the storm
“There’s something full circle about our Katrina baby protecting swimmers in the Lower 9th Ward from deep water.,” Lens editor Katy Reckdahl writes in an essay about the city and her son, who was born 23 hours before Katrina struck the city.
‘It’s a warning, set to a dance beat’: Jon Batiste on his new song urging climate action at Katrina20
The global music star, whose hometown of New Orleans was devastated in 2005 by the hurricane and subsequent levee engineering failures, says ‘people power’ can change the world.
A ‘college for all’ push thrived in New Orleans after Katrina. It wasn’t for everyone
KIPP New Orleans pushed ‘college for all’ in its early years. Schools are now adding career and personal counseling, and offering technical education courses.
FEMA failures in Katrina aftermath serve as stark warning for today’s FEMA cuts
As the Trump administration hobbles FEMA, experts warn the agency is backsliding towards the same failures seen after New Orleans’ levees failed.
Hoping to distract displaced Katrina children with cameras, she ended up launching a nonprofit
On Friday evening, The Contemporary Arts Center will kick off an exhibit for Danette Vincent’s Katrina Camera Kids, who picked up cameras for the first time after the storm and ended up capturing important moments in their lives.
The long arc of John McDonogh Senior High School
The ups and downs within the John McDonogh High School building illustrate the persistent inequities of New Orleans public schools
opinion
New Orleans was not disposable after Katrina; its children are not disposable now
“We knew that our city was worth investment and protection,” writes Cierra Chenier. “The same must be true for our children.”
Power out, profits gone: how Louisiana’s grid failures harm local businesses
Lost Coyote restaurant in Treme was on track for its first record-profit day during Memorial Day weekend, when a sudden blackout brought it all to a standstill.
Let’s acknowledge the Alabo Wharf’s place in history
In a lawsuit about a slaughterhouse that once stood at the Alabo site, the U.S. Supreme Court first interpreted the 14th Amendment, which later became pivotal in civil rights rulings, and led to four little 9th Ward girls desegregating the first public schools in the Deep South.
The Cry That Wasn’t Heard Could Be the Cry That Lights the Awakening
That day, I could hear the baby crying. I could hear Nicholas unraveling. Then the phone went dead. Looking back, I see the baby’s death as an indictment.
PODCAST
Behind The Lens episode 281 part II: ‘Completely inadequate’
Longtime environmental reporter Mark Schleifstein on the federal flood after the U.S. Army Corps’ levees failed and flooded 80 percent of the city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Delaney Nolan on ongoing corrosion that could undermine the system again.
About the Lens
The Lens aims to engage and empower the residents of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. We provide the information and analysis necessary to advocate for more accountable and just governance.