Hurricane Katrina had a tremendous impact not only on the Gulf Coast but on individuals who lived and worked in her disastrous aftermath. I was an assistant professor of social work at LSU when Katrina disrupted my life and career. I recall vividly the first hours, days, and weeks after the storm. I was asked to volunteer in a local hospital emergency room with highly traumatized evacuees, and I, not unlike many other relief workers, developed Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) symptoms. To cope and heal, I turned to scholarship and research. This is a reflection on how Katrina has defined my professional life for the past 10 years.
A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric