Let's Thrive Together, Issue #8: Five Days at Memorial, Hurricane Katrina, & Where We Go From Here
Have you seen Apple+'s new show? or read Sheri Fink's book?
Hello dear friends, family, & loved ones,
I wanted to tell you about a fascinating new TV show (and book) that I think should be on your radar.
The show, Five Days at Memorial, is a phenomenally honest and brutal account of the tragedy that we as a nation witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated large swaths of New Orleans and led to the loss of thousands of precious lives in 2005.
It’s important to remember that this loss was predominately lives lost of color. BIPOC citizens who are so often neglected and more susceptible to the being brutalized in the fallout of natural disasters.Â
Photo: Actor Cornelius Smith Jr. as Dr. Bryant King in Five Days at Memorial on AppleTV+
Sheri Fink’s phenomenal retelling of these events is an emotional journey, chronicling the five days at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans, where brave patients, volunteers, community members, nurses & doctors rallied together to care for one another in the face of unimaginable devastation.
It is also the story of corruption, blatant racism, fatphobia, anti-blackness, classism, and a true (and unsurprising) testament to the failures of law enforcement, FEMA & the Bush administration.
This book & the television series, which is available on Apple+ is a brutal reminder of how vulnerable we all are to the unforeseen natural catastrophes, which are only going to increase in frequency as climate change ravages our delicate ecosystems, and puts many vulnerable populations further at risk.Â
Photo: Five Days at Memorial Book Cover, Author Sheri Fink, Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
Shows and books like these are a thoughtful and necessary reminder that we are at our best when we look out for one another unconditionally in mutual cooperation. It is also a brutal reminder that we have so much work to do to ensure that we are prepared for what is to come to our planet.Â
A great book to consider, in further research, is Nomad Century by Gaia Vince, which sharply illuminates (with ample scientific proof) what havoc global climate change’s wrath will wreak upon unprepared populations in the coming century.
I hope you will take the time to sit with these books & this series in an effort to pay homage to the lives we’ve all lost, lives that should’ve been saved, lives that should not be lost in vain. I hope you will also sit with these pieces of art (and research) to better understand what we’re up against.Â
If you’re looking to take action, be sure to volunteer and donate to mutual aid programs in your local community. You can also see some mutual aid funds, non-profits, and community funds HERE that are specifically aimed at helping mitigate the recent impacts of Hurricane Ian, which devastated Puerto Rico & the S.E.U.S.
I love you all. Make sure to hug your loved ones and tell them how much they matter to you.
With peace, love, & solidarity,
Alex
P.S.: Write to me and let me know how you’re doing. I love hearing from my readers. You can reach me at: alexlopezwrites@gmail.com