New Orleans Premieres Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary Documentaries

Several documentaries and stories continue to capture the enduring impact of Hurricane Katrina two decades after the storm. "A Reason to Stay" is a documentary created from home video footage shot by Angela and Peter Becnel III, who stayed in their Mid-City home with friends during the hurricane, providing a personal and poetic account of the disaster's effect on their neighborhood. Another film, "Together in the Eye: 20 Years Later," directed by local filmmaker Yasmeen Blake, highlights untold stories from across New Orleans, focusing on neighborhoods often overlooked by national media coverage, with its premiere set in New Orleans. Additionally, the Peggy Martin rose, also known as the Katrina rose, symbolizes the region's rebirth, having survived prolonged floodwaters and now helping to restore gardens damaged by the storm across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. These projects and symbols reflect the resilience and diverse experiences of those affected by Katrina and emphasize the importance of preserving and sharing these narratives. Collectively, they contribute to a broader understanding of the storm's long-lasting effects on communities and culture in the Gulf Coast region.