M a r k D i l l e y

During five hectic days in early November, I was part of a national delegation of some 40 organizers and activists from across the country – representing immigrant rights, environmental justice, faith, labor, Indigenous African American and other people of color community organizations, accompanied by community leaders from Louisiana, Mississippi, and neighboring states – that participated in a solidarity and justice tour of the Hurricane Katrina-devastated Gulf Coast region.

We went to meet with leaders and residents of devastated communities and began to dream together how to collectively overcome the severe challenges and obstacles the not-so natural disaster poses to achieving justice and healthy community in the Gulf region and country. And we were guided there by the profound belief that only through human and unconditional solidarity could a greater disaster be prevented.