As I’m sure you know, the Gulf Coast was hit by a category-5 hurricane a week ago. I’ve been glued to the television, watching 24-hr updates and following the latest developments. My hometown of Houston has received over 100,000 refugees from New Orleans, and the state of Texas is holding over 240,000 refugees from the disaster. I’m sure a further explanation of the devastation is not needed, but I will say that I have tried to help out as much as possible: donating clothing, what money I can spare, and talking with the few people I know who were directly impacted. This event ranks as one of the top-2 worst natural disasters to hit America… It blows the mind.

I cannot begin to describe the wave of emotions I have experienced following the hurricane, break of the levies, the flooding of New Orleans, the slow governmental response, and the following life stories. To see over 20,000 people housed in the Astrodome, to hear that my old neighbors are housing displaced families, to talk with survivors… Speechless.