Katrina Stories - Evacuation

Welcome to the first episode of Katrina Stories: Tales from the I-10 Witness Project.  Whether you evacuated before or after Hurricane Katrina, the road out of New Orleans was often just the beginning of a new set of hardships. In this episode, we hear from Verna, Ruby, Maeci, Thien-An, and Bob— each offering a different perspective on what it meant to leave. From overcrowded buses and unwelcoming shelters to the emotional toll of separation and uncertainty, their stories highlight how evacuation was not always an escape, but sometimes a journey into its own kind of crisis. 

Katrina Stories is a documentary podcast built from first-person accounts recorded after Hurricane Katrina as part Mondo Bizarro's I-10 Witness Project. Each episode weaves together voices that reveal the human impact of the storm—stories of loss, resilience, anger and hope. The series preserves these testimonies as living history, offering listeners an intimate connection to the people and places forever changed by the disaster.  

For more information about Mondo Bizarro visit www.mondobizarro.org.

If you are inclined to financially support this show and other programs of Mondo Bizarro you can make a one-time or recurring donation here.  

Our theme music was composed by Peter Bowling.