Inequalities In Katrina

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When hurricane Katrina hit landfall the second time, the storm took countless lives, homes and businesses along with it. Horrific images and videos swept not only the nation, but the interior world, portraying the wrath of Katrina, and the catastrophe that followed by the collapse of the levees. It is said to be the worst natural disaster to ever fall upon the U.S not only uprooting weaknesses, but revealing inequalities and racial prejudice that was present before the storm hit (Levitt). New Orleans revealed the black poor forcing the United States to open their eyes and take a look at race and class in relations to what was thought to be a “democratic” and “post-racial” forward moving society. New conversations sprung about structural racism …show more content…
Through investigating hurricane Katrina and the aftermath, we can see that Intersectionality connects race and class to be inherently intertwined (Knudsen 61). When I think about America, the “American Dream comes to mind. People from all over the world, including myself, have moved here for what is perceived to be a better life. That idea that anyone can be successful and achieve wealth regardless of their race or original social standing and the positive image of endless possibilities that are evident in a classless society. These implanted ideologies are a mask for poverty and racism, which is the side of America that is hidden or even worse ignored. The United States have constructed this perfect picture of a nation where equality is not an issue and the government was put in place to solely service the interest of the people regardless of your class, race or gender …show more content…
In essence, a large amount of the population was put in harms way. What is white privilege? It is a term used to explain the benefits white people have in Western countries beyond what is common experienced by minorities or people of color under the same political, social and economic conditions. Most white Americans don’t discuss “white privilege” because it takes away from their sense of individuality and makes people feel like they did nothing to deserve to circumstances of the current state. The structural issue of race and class tied together is difficult to avoid in that example. Intersectionality concentrates on how race is attributed with other factors within social identity such as class and ethnicity. Some differences may emerge that can allow for power to be allocated in a way that is beneficial the dominant groups over the subordinate group. It also analyzes cultural and social hierarchies within different institutions (Knudsen).

The predominant victims of the storm were black and they were poor and this relation could no longer be overlooked. These relations do not cause one another. In fact, they exist together in society and are bound together by structural power which allows racial and class privilege to be hidden behind more dominant ideologies. This brings us back to the thought process in which we are “post-race’ and
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