2022 ESS Grad Daut'e Martin Publishes New York Times Piece

"To feel safe is fundamental" is the reoccurring theme of ESS 2022 Daut'e Martin's guest essay published in September 4, 2022, New York Times entitled 'Katrina Babies are Hurting, but We are Healing, Too.' 

Ms. Martin takes a personal look at life in New Orleans before and after hurricane Katrina for Black Americans and for America. She thoughtfully reviews lived experiences utilizing filmmakers Edward Buckel's lense in her own thoughtful and poignant review of his recent HBO documentary, "Katrina Babies" a preview of which can be viewed right here.

Ms. Martin's piece showcases her thoughtful thinking about how trauma impacts everything including schooling and how the only path to the Katrina Babies, New Orleans, and implies other places in America too might be okay again is if we continue to ask each other the question, especially those who endured and continue to persevere the simple question, "How are you doing? Are you okay?" And, then of course responding to the needs we hear from one another. She clearly says that the route to Black families being okay and returning to not just hardship but the days of free play in the streets is through people taking care of one another so that they can raise their own babies without the trauma and tragedy that befell and befuddled their generation and America in the wake of the storm, but rather in the more sturdy and steadfast environments that their grandparents raised the children that came before them. 

A full copy provided by the author of the article can be viewed here or at the link above to the New York Times.