Beyond Katrina

Call for Speakers/Ideas: Katrina Event in Houston, Texas

I am working on a Katrina/Rita related program or event for a Foreign Media Tour of Houston, Texas ---March 5-7. The theme is how Americans view health care, the economy, and immigration in an election year. Since Houston is a  major gulf coast city that has also been impacted by the hurricanes of 2005,  there may be room in the schedule for a Katrina/Rita related program.  If you are a Katrina survivor who has relocated to Houston, or an individual or group working on behalf of Hurricane Katrina recovery issues,  I would like to speak with  you regarding  ideas  for this event. This is a great  opportunity to support the cause - i.e. to brief the foreign media  and help them better understand  issues and challenges related to ongoing gulf coast hurricane issues as well as recovery and rebuilding efforts post-Katrina.  If you have an interesting idea or contribution to make towards this endeavor,  please contact me at [email protected].

Margaret Saizan
Beyond Katrina: The Voice of Hurricane & Disaster Recovery
www.hurricane-katrina.org.

help foreign political reporters better understand the role of local and state governments, parties, and lobbying organizations in U.S. elections.  To deepen the reporters’ understanding of the 2008 contest, the tour will also focus on key issues that both parties and all candidates are debating:  the economy, immigration, and health care. 

Images from New Orleans Mardi Gras

City of New Orleans from Algiers Ferry - © 2008 Matthew White

The above photograph  of the New Orleans skyline was taken by photographer Matthew White on the morning of Fat Tuesday as he made  his approach into New Orleans to take Mardi Gras pix. He said the crowds were lighter this year, and some have chalked that up to the fact that the city's most famous celebration  fell so early this year.  I had a very emotional reaction to this particular image - the metaphor is obvious I think. As it is said every  picture is worth a thousand words. For more of Matthew's images of Mardi Gras 2008  check out his image gallery.