Meet the Survivors

Katrina Survivors Speak Out!

On Tuesday, October 25, the delegation of 17 Katrina survivors that CAF supporters brought to Washington descended on Capitol Hill to challenge politicians face-to-face to rebuild the Gulf and pass a budget that supports ordinary Americans, not just wealthy friends of Washington. Along with the allies who helped spearhead these events — Voices for Working Families, ACORN, AFSCME, and SEIU — we're proud to bring you these video, audio and photo highlights from the Katrina survivors' accountability sessions. See more in our action archive.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
Capitol Hill Town Hall Meeting
Rep. Nancy Pelosi
"They're using the victims of Katrina to give tax cuts to the wealthy. It's a cruel hoax on the victims of Katrina to use their plight to have a budget that doesn't address their needs, increases the deficit and gives tax cuts to the wealthiest people in our country."
Watch: Real Player | Windows Media
Diane Palmer
"The healthcare system in Louisiana was devastated... the long term affects on New Orleans will be great... my cry is that we not reduce Medicaid..."
Watch: Real Player | Windows Media
Rep. Nancy Pelosi
introduces Gwendolyn Carriere and Vincent Wilson

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Vincent Wilson
"As a contractor, I feel like I'm being left out... There are several of us who are skilled and qualified to do this work... How can you outsource work when you have a skilled workforce right there in New Orleans — or that is scattered around the country who is willing to come back and rebuild their home?"
Watch: Real Player | Windows Media
Sen. Harry Reid
"This isn't the time for those with the least to be hit even harder. It's up to Congress to help, not to hurt. So, I'm asking the Republicans to set aside their immoral budget reconciliation process and go to helping the victims of Katrina."
Watch: Real Player | Windows Media
Michelle Baker
"I can't believe that some people in Washington think that after a category 5 hurricane, the solution is to unleash a category 5 assault on working people."
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Gwendolyn Carriere
"My family and I are still displaced... I work at a laundry mat for minimum wage... The hurricane revealed to us the ugly face of poverty that exists in this country, instead of using this opportunity improve our lives... They use this tragedy as an opportunity to ram through protections for millionaires — and nothing for workers."
Watch: Real Player | Windows Media
Town Hall
Question and Answer Session


Watch: Real Player | Windows Media

MEET THE SURVIVORS

Gwendolyn Carriere
Gwendolyn lived in New Orleans for 66 years, and lost her home, family business and family members to Katrina. She evacuated to Baton Rouge during the hurricane with her three children, eight grandchildren, her brother and his family.
Bishop Sam Butler and Maxine Butler
Lifelong residents of Louisiana, the Butlers together with their congregation pooled their resources and rented a 48-seat coach to bring residents out of the city right after Katrina and have since renovated their community center and former church building into long-term shelters for families.
Kendall Parker
Kendall was born and raised in New Orleans and ran a dental practice in the lower 9th Ward has lost his business and his home in Katrina.
Darrel Bass
Darrel, a life long resident and a small business owner lost everything in Katrina.
Michele Baker
Michelle is president of Local 872, didn't evacuate New Orleans in order to stay with her ill father. She road out the storm in her car before wading through deep waters to reach the Superdome. They eventually found shelter in Baton Rouge.
Ina LaBorde
Ina is Council 17 area field services director based in Alexandria, LA. Along with members of Local 3074, they combed through more than 20 shelters looking for AFSCME members who were displaced, putting up flyers and posters and making public service announcements in radio stations.
Oveal Jackson
Oveal one of six custodians (Local 872) who worked at New Orleans' Charity Hospital non-stop for eight days. With the power out, she — along with other workers, doctors and hundreds of patients — were marooned for days without food, water and medicine. Oveal's own family — her three sons and a daughter — waded for hours in deep waters to reach the Superdome.
Dian Palmer
Dian a Mississippi native, is a Public Health Nurse for the state of Wisconsin and an active union member in SEIU District 1199W who went to Louisiana to help Katrina victims.
Vanessa Gueringer
Long-time Lower Ninth Ward ACORN leader who is deeply involved in neighborhood, city, state and now national ACORN issues. Hurricane Katrina left about 5 feet of water in her home destroying many of her family's cherished possessions including some of her husbands artwork and completely destroyed her mother's home.
Diana and Derwin Hill
New Lower Ninth Ward ACORN member. Diana and Derwin own a contracting business in Louisiana, their historic home which sustained damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

FUTURE CAST

Listen to FutureCast interviews with Katrina survivors Bishop Sam Butler, Mrs. Gwendolyn Carriere and Dr. Kendall Parker — first-hand stories, convictions and hope that survivors came to Washington to deliver.
Mrs. Gwendolyn Carriere: "I do not believe they are rebuilding the Gulf for us — the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama... the work is not filtering down to the residents and I say that from personal experience, my son in law is a contractor and he's not working at this time."
Bishop Sam Butler: "This has been a catastrophe — not just for the residents but for this nation. I'm hoping that they will understand the devastation, that we're facing, the needs of the people, the social programs that need to be met, the Medicaid programs, these are areas now, that, I'm frightened about."
Dr. Kendall Parker: "I have invested my life into working in an underservered area... I would like all the possible dividends to come to the people that I'm trying to provide health care service to."

Broadcast