Hardship of Displaced Communities

By ​Mahmoud Mohamud

"Displacement is not the loss of home. It is the reminder that we carry home within us, like seeds waiting for the right soil." Home is something that should be near and dear to us. Home is a place where we grow up and have our fondest memories. Home is not a place that you leave and forget about. I'm personally not from Washington State. Im still in touch with my friends from Portland. I go back to see them every couple of months. I try my best not to forget where I come from.

Since the being of time humans have always migrated because of hardship. For an example we can look at the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They left their homes because of a life threatening hurricane. According to Charles Maldadono and "The Lens," eighty percent of New Orleans was flooded. Most of the families relocated to many different states across America.  An estimate of 1300 to 1400 people lost their lives due to this harsh circumstance. Many people ended up migrating to different cities like Atlanta, Houston, and Louisiana. The people of New Orleans kept their traditions alive through their food, music, and culture. We still hear about the great food they make down there in New Orleans. They currently have strong traditions in New Orleans. Its not something were a natural disaster could blow it away. By showing their traditions, people from other states welcomed them with open arms. When the flood was over, people came back to their homes to find absolutely nothing. Their homes and belongings were gone due to the power of the hurricane. Some people never came back. This goes back to "Displacement is not the loss of home. It is the reminder that we carry home within us, like seeds waiting for the right soil." The people who left for good decided to keep their homes dear and near to their hearts.
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A couple of ways we can support displaced communities are by opening our arms and making sure they feel welcomed. Another way is giving them the right resources for them to survive in anew place. This can includes housing, food, clothing, and employment.  Things they might need for them to survive. When things go back to how they were at their home, they will always have a second option to come back to. I believe that we should also teach and spread knowledge about displacement to people who are not really aware of it. Doing that, we might come up with better ideas and have better solutions in the future. Most of the people who lost their homes due to Hurricane Katrina never came back. They loved the place they migrated to. They believed could build themselves back up in a new place.

References:

• Maldonado, C. (2022, April 20). Katrina fact-check:  Guesstimate of Katrina’s flooding in New Orleans was correct.  The Lens. https://thelensnola.org/2015/07/20/katrina-fact-check-guesstimate-of-katrinas-flooding-in-new-orleans-was-correct/