Summary Sandra Baldo (SB) age 55, is a Hurricane Rita survivor from Rye, Texas. She describes a horrible childhood growing up in foster homes in California and moving from state to state in her early adult life. SB describes moving to Houston when her mother was ill and then relocating to Rye, Texas in 1999. After hearing about Rita’s approach, SB evaluated with her blind sister-in-law, traveling to Nacogdoches, TX and then to Monroe and Bastrop, LA, where they found a room when the storm hit. She...

Summary Tawanda Duhon [TD], age 27, is a Rita survivor from Lake Charles, Louisiana [LCL]. TD was born and raised in LCL and is the oldest daughter of two born to her parents. She is a single mother of 3 children, 2 sons and a daughter. TD describes her experiences moving around to many different neighborhoods in LCL: Goosport, Fisherville and Southside. She later experiences more of the same during the height of the storm fleeing to Mamou, Louisiana, Mississippi, Monroe, Louisiana and Houston,...

Summary Bessie Fletcher [BF], age 47, is a Rita survivor from Lake Charles, Louisiana [LCL]. The youngest of 3 daughters born to her parents. Her elder sister took over raising BF after her parents died when BF was a young age. She was originally born in Cleveland, Texas. However, BF lived in Seattle, Washington in her early years and later moved to Houston where she lived for approximately 14 years before moving to LCL to be with family. BF enjoyed living in LCL and descibes it as, "It takes...

Summary Shameka Goins [SG], age 27, is a Rita Survivor from Lake Charles, Louisiana [LCL]. Her interview gives lengthy details about her early life growing up in a family of nine children and the destruction she faced at home. [SG] describes her teen years, becoming a mother and after the devastating death of her mother, becoming a caregiver for seven of her siblings. [SG] describes enduring destruction after destruction leading up to hurricane Rita. [SG] and thirteen family members in one car...

Summary Brandon Green [BG], age 16, a Hurricane Katrina survivor, was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana is a hurricane Katrina survivor. His interview begins with some brief details about his early childhood. BG discusses in detail events he experienced in the height and aftermath of the storm. He gave vivid details of not being able to evacuate. There was no room for him and he had to survive for five days before being rescued only to be dropped off on the I-10 bridge overnight. He...

Summary Toyya Greene [TG] born January 21, 1983 is a Rita survivor born and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana [LCL]. She is the youngest child of 2 children born to her parents. TG began her early years in a neighborhood called Franklin Street in a house that was passed down through generations. She describes the community as everybody knew everybody. You could go to your neighbors for just about anything that you could ask for. They did not want for anything. In 1989 TG and her family moved to...

Summary Charles Joseph III (CJ) was born and raised in New Orleans, La. He is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. His interview begins with him growing up in several different neighborhoods: Third Ward, Seventh Ward, Ninth Ward and the Uptown area of New Orleans. Life in New Orleans for CJ was not good. CJ describes his experiences relating to the storm: flood waters, people dying and falling out, arguments, aggravation, rescue, seperation from family members, hunger and homelessness. It is a story...

Summary Crystal Lee [CL], age 26, is a Katrina survivor from New Orleans, La. [NOL]. Her details begin with her early life growing up in the same house and living in the same neighborhood for 24 years. She gave lenghly details of what it was like to grow up on the West Bank, spending 2 years in the military, having a daughter and buying her first home only 2 years until Katrina stuck. CL describes in length her evacuation to Dallas. There were seven family members living in her brother's tiny one...

Summary Troy Moody [TM], age 18, is a Katrina survivor from the West Polk neighborhood, Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana. His interview begins by describing his early years, in the Fisher Project with his family and his community. Troy gives a lengthy description of his experiences during the height of the storm: separation from family members, flooded waters, knocked down buildings, broken windows, people killed. TM describes sleeping in a hotel on Canal Street and witnessing windows breaking,...

Summary Antionette Stevenson [AS], age 23, is a Rita survivor from Lake Charles, Louisiana [LCL]. Her interview begins with her early childhood life, continuing through adulthood. [AS] goes on to describe her neighborhood and community in LCL. Then, AS discusses some details about her experiences relating to the storm: seven family members traveling in one car, no room at the shelter, family taking them in, 5 months pregnant and losing baby, hearing news reports of not being able to return home....

Summary Rita Sutherland [RS] age 51, was born January 27, 1955 in New Orleans, La. [NOL] She describes [NOL] as the greatest city in the world. [RS] is a Hurricane Katrina and Rita survivor. Her story begins with some details of her early life. She reflects on having a wonderful childhood and has fond memories of growing up in [NOL]. Recalling those experiences led her to remember another disaster Hurricane Betsy when she was a child, but says it was nothing like Katrina. No dead bodies floating...