As we contemplated the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (August 29, 2010), it seemed to our staff that a key prism through which to view these five years was how New Orleans was or was not a welcoming community—first, to the poor, the elderly, and people of color who often were least able to weather the storm and its aftermath; and, second, how we welcomed those migrants who came to help rebuild our homes, our offices, and our communities.
On Saturday, September 11, 2010, we presented Post-Katrina New Orleans: A Welcoming Community? In this report, we include the presentations of our two morning keynoters, Jarvis DeBerry of The Times Picayune and Dr. Allison Plyer of the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.