Transcript Staff Writer
It's been more than two years since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, but many of its victims still have not rebuilt homes or lives, said University of Oklahoma College of Law students who spent a week in the city doing pro bono work.
"It may not be in the news anymore, but the problems are still going on," second year law student Suma Ananthaswamy said.
Ananthaswamy and law students Joanne Lafontant, Samarla Dillon, Amy Kamp and Michelle Millben went to the storm-ravaged city Jan. 5-11 with the Student Hurricane Network, a national association that sends law students to provide legal assistance to communities affected by Hurricane Katrina. The trip was funded through the Black Law Students Association. The students worked with the Louisiana Justice Institute and New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation, helping victims of Hurricane Katrina.
"We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into," Ananthaswamy said, but the students were moved by what they saw.
Now they're raising funds to take another trip back to New Orleans for spring break March 15-23 as part of the Students for Access to Justice group at OU.
Millben, a second-year law student, was the only one of the group to be placed by SHN with the Legal Assistance Corporation, which provides legal services in a variety of fields, including predatory lending and problems with contractors. She said she was amazed by the dedication the professional lawyers exhibited.
"These people worked endless hours just to help everybody they can," she said. "It's like an emergency room, really."
The number of the Corporation's clientele has increased significantly since Katrina, Millben said, but the number of staff has not. So SHN provides 20-30 law students from all over the country to help in any way.
"It was really hectic," Millben said of her week-long job doing anything and everything. "And I was really surprised because I always thought lawyers lived these plush lives."
Another surprising thing for Millben was to see the poor conditions in which many New Orleans residents are still living.
"It was really sad to see people still living in houses that ... I'm just gonna be honest -- a healthy person wouldn't want to even walk through there," she said.
Millben said she plans to return over spring break next month. Ananthaswamy also plans to return. She and the other women worked with LJI, meeting with hurricane victims and writing reports about rebuilding progress. Many people have slipped through the cracks of assistance, Ananthaswamy said. So the students' reports will be presented to organizational and government leaders in hopes of bringing about changes, she said.
The students focused on those who had problems with their FEMA-provided trailers. The trailers will be taken away in May, but many residents still don't have access to other housing, Ananthaswamy said. There are many barriers to this. She said shady contractors have hindered rebuilding efforts and landlords are charging way too much. Some people don't have any other choice than to wait for government assistance to come through.
"There were some neighborhoods that were all fixed," Ananthaswamy said. "These people seemed to be more education and more affluent." And then the students would go across town and visit a primarily minority community and it would be a different story, she said.
Almost immediately after the trip the women started planning their next trip back. This time, Students for Access to Justice is getting the word out so more law students can come. Trip coordinators Ananthaswamy and Amy Kamp are also trying to raise money to help pay for transportation and accommodations. The trip is estimated at about $300 per student.
SATJ had a Mardi Gras party Jan. 31 and raised more than $200, but Ananthaswamy said sponsors are still being sought.
For students who would like to participate, SHN National Advisory Board member Galen Hair will be giving a special orientation for OU students noon Feb. 22 at the law school.
For more information about the New Orleans trip, or to donate, call 325-5256 or e-mail ousatj@gmail.com.
Julianna Parker 366-3541 jparker@normantranscript.com
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