Katrina taught me a truth I’ll never unlearn—we’re all the same when the storm hits. I was 14 years old when Katrina hit...

Katrina taught me a truth I’ll never unlearn—we’re all the same when the storm hits. I was 14 years old when Katrina hit. My family evacuated to the middle of nowhere Alabama. No phones. No internet. Just the local radio and TV, and none of it told us what we really needed to know. Did we still have a home? Was our family on the coast alive? Would Louisiana ever be the same? I remember standing at a gas station, feeling lost, when we saw a car with Louisiana plates. My Dad, my Mom, and I lit up like kids on Christmas. We ran over to them and found out they were from our parish in Empire. We hugged complete strangers like they were long lost family. Just hearing their voices, just knowing someone from home was still standing, gave us peace and hope I still can’t fully explain. That moment has stayed with me for twenty years. Katrina was one of those defining times. It changed everything for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. It brought pain, loss, and devastation—but also unity. For a while it didn’t matter what you believed, who you voted for, or the color of your skin. We were one people, holding each other up, rebuilding side by side. It is tragic that it often takes heartbreak to remind us we are the same. But I’ll never forget that light in the darkness. And I still believe we can choose unity without waiting for disaster to force it. If you lived through Katrina, you carry your own story too. Where were you? What moment will you never forget?