Katrina 20 Years Later: The Storm, the State, and the Struggle

KPFA - Hard Knock Radio

On today’s show, author and activist Kalonji Changa fills in for Davey D to speak with poet, activist, and New Orleans native Sunni Patterson, reflecting on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. On August 29, 2005, Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, causing catastrophic flooding, widespread destruction, and claiming the lives of over 1,800 people. The storm exposed not only the vulnerabilities of the levee system—which Patterson notes were intentionally breached—but also the deep racial, social, and economic inequities that left Black and low-income communities disproportionately affected.

In the immediate aftermath, reports emerged of armed militia groups forming in certain neighborhoods, including Algiers Point, a predominantly white area, where residents set up barricades and guard posts and used violence against people they perceived as looters. Democracy Now! reported that this group was accused of shooting at least eleven African American men, while local police failed to investigate. Meanwhile, federal response efforts faltered, and FEMA’s failures left many evacuees without support. Patterson recalls finding help and solidarity not from government agencies, but through community networks while evacuating to Houston, and she reflects on her return to New Orleans, the struggles around property recovery, and the long, uneven process of rebuilding.

Two decades later, we revisit Katrina’s enduring impact: the mass displacement of residents, the dismantling of public housing and schools, the gentrification that reshaped the city, and the ongoing trauma carried by survivors. Patterson and Changa examine the political dimensions of the disaster—how government neglect, delayed rescue efforts, and failed recovery policies turned a natural disaster into a man-made catastrophe.

This conversation is not only about remembering loss, but about honoring resilience, exposing systemic and state violence, and highlighting the ongoing struggle for justice in the aftermath of one of the most politically charged disasters in U.S. history.

Kalonji Jama Changa is a seasoned organizer who has worked on various social justice fronts. Kalonji is founder of the anti imperialist organization FTP Movement and the multimedia platform Black Power Media. He is an author and filmmaker and is currently working with veteran freedom fighters to build a United Front Against Fascism.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

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