uphold the right of return in post-katrina new orleans...

she spoke last week with monika gerhart, coordinator of the rebuilding the gulf coast project of amnesty international usa...i'm speaking of 60-year-old gloria williams, who, along with her twin sister, was evacuated in the wake of hurricane katrina...she says she’s too old to start over in a new city and has been trying to get home for almost two years now, but to no avail...

sadly, gloria’s not alone...fact is less than half of the new orleans residents evacuated during the human rights disaster that resulted from hurricane katrina have returned home...thousands remain displaced due to the absence of affordable housing, with rent increases up more than 60%, and the majority of public housing still shuttered...i saw them last november during a devastatingly powerful bus tour of the old city and while most of those public units were barely affected by katrina, 80% are closed and facing demolition - 80%!...

gloria’s story is one of many you can share in the documentary “this is my home,” which sheds light on the blockade that former new orleans residents have faced in their endeavors to return home after katrina...we hope you’ll join amnesty supporters nationwide who’ll be screening this important movie in their homes and community centers next month...you can register today to host a house party to screen the film....

why is it so important to screen this film next month?...because your help is needed to raise awareness about the thousands of people who are still unable to return home even as the two year anniversary of katrina approaches...because lawmakers need to hear that we’re not going to drop this issue...because a just rebuild must happen within a human rights framework...

you do not have to be an active amnesty international member in order to host a screening so register today to host a house party to screen the film....and thank you for supporting the struggle of those in the gulf coast region...

peace out <3