Katrina, five years and spray paint later

It hardly feels like its been five years since that devastating storm ripped through the gulf coast. I remember being a freshman in high school, coming home and turning on the TV to see boats traveling what used to be streets, helicopter rescues from rooftops, and of course the Superdome where thousands took refuge. Now, five years later, there is no water engulfing New Orleans, the looting has stopped, and new levees have been erected. But the scars of what happened are visible nearly everywhere you go. GOOD compiled a picture slide show of graffiti throughout the city, expressing and reminding us of the feelings felt by New Orleanians during and after the hurricane.   -Braden

GOOD: How a refugee gets from a camp to a new country

Brian Merchant started a series at GOOD  last month called “Getting Samy out of Burma.” Each article addresses an aspect of being a refugee in today’s world. I think it’s important that we try to understand this; it’s a reality for too many people to ignore.

According to the UNHCR, “the number of people forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution worldwide stands at more than 42 million, including 16 million refugees outside their countries and 26 million others displaced internally.”

This article explains, in broad terms, the complicated process that goes into becoming an “official” refugee. So the paperwork goes through. Now what?

-Azy

From GOOD:

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Let’s say Samy has just fled Burma to Thailand. He’s been shepherded to a refugee camp, where he is enrolled to receive food and lodging. He is, effectively, a refugee—but not technically. To be legally recognized as a refugee, Samy must be registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNCHR has been “mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide,” since 1950, as is noted on its website. It is the prime authority on refugee issues worldwide. (more…)