Black Women Organizers in Louisiana to Host Press Briefing Following Hurricane Ida

BATON ROUGE, La. – Long before the COVID-19 global health crisis shuttered schools and companies, communities of color were victimized by over-policing, mass incarceration, under-resourced schools, aging infrastructure, and lack of good-paying jobs. That has created a sea of suffering, particularly among groups long impacted by systemic racism and social exclusion. Now, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is convening a press briefing where Black women organizers in Louisiana will detail what is happening, what is needed and where the community will go from here. The event will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at noon ET. To participate, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9h2DBYxtTfieE9lfYGFwwA.

“With the toll of Hurricane Ida yet to be tallied, we appear to be moving from trauma to trauma,” said Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Many people are being displaced without clarity on when they can return home or when they will be made whole. Many of the same people impacted by Hurricane Ida have been impacted by other devastating storms and life experiences. They have been here before. This time, they must confront the fallout of yet another crisis at the same time they are still recovering from one of the worst pandemics in a generation.”

Shelton will join other Black women from Louisiana, who have organized in the area for the past 40 years, in a briefing for reporters on what is happening; what is being said on the ground; and what is needed from local, state and federal government leaders. To join the Sept. 8 call, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9h2DBYxtTfieE9lfYGFwwA.