NEW ORLEANS – To remember the lives lost, honor the resiliency of the community and advocate for the people most devastated by Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Katrina Commemoration Foundation, Hip Hop Caucus, Nuthin But Fire Records, Q93, People’s Climate Music, Sierra Club and numerous community and national partners host the 10th Annual Katrina March and Biggest Second Line Ever on Saturday, August 29, 2015, to mark the 10-year anniversary of Katrina.
As part of the commemorative day, organizers are asking participants and supporters to:
• Remember to call on the State of Louisiana to make August 29 a holiday commemorating the lives lost in Katrina.
• Right the wrongs by calling for racial and economic justice so that in the face of disaster, the poor and people of color are not left without the ability to rebuild communities with good schools, good jobs and good public health and safety.
• Say never again by calling for action on climate change from our world’s leaders, otherwise we will only see more of these extreme weather events like Katrina around the world.
The day’s events will begin with a healing ceremony right against the breached levee in the Lower 9th Ward, between N. Galvez Street and Jordan Avenue, from 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Community members will gather for a multi-faith prayer and a reading of the names of those who died during Hurricane Katrina.
From 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. a march through the streets will, in New Orleans tradition, feed into the world’s largest second line parade.
The Biggest Second line Ever will feature the Rebirth Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band, All For One Brass Band and Most Wanted Brass Band. Also marching will be Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs 9 Times, CTC Steppers, Lady Buckjumpers, Extraordinary Gentlemen, DSS, Electrified Ladies, Westbank Ladies Of Pleasure, Rebel Sista's, Dumaine Street Gang, Clutch Poppin Motorcycle Club, Smokin Aces Motorcycle Club and Str8 Wyl'n Motorcycle Club.
The second line will end at Hunter's Field, between N. Claiborne Avenue and St. Bernard Avenue, with a rally hosted by Wild Wayne of Q93, renowned New Orleans’ poet Sunni Patterson and featured speakers and performers including prominent community, cultural and national leaders from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Organizers say this event will serve as the largest annual community based commemoration of the anniversary of Katrina, and show, first-hand, the consequences of climate disasters on communities who ten years later are still recovering.
Speakers and performers will include:
• Kermit Ruffins, renowned jazz trumpeter, singer and composer from New Orleans
• Mia X, pioneering rapper and recording artist from New Orleans
• Sess 4-5, CEO Nuthin But Fire Records, recording artist and prominent community activist
• Young Sino, recording artist and activist
• Dee-1, RCA recording artist and New Orleans native
• Tonya Boyd-Cannon, New Orleans singer and soul artist and contestant on NBC’s “The Voice”
• Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. – President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus and Louisiana native
• Roi Anthony, New Orleans songwriter and producer
• Bill McKibben, Founder 350.org
• Micheal Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
• DJs DJ Poppa and DJ Vee
This event will also be the kick-off to the People’s Climate Music “Act On Climate” National Bus Tour, a multi-state tour organized by Hip Hop Caucus and its partners. The weak and vulnerable are the most affected by changing weather conditions caused by global warming, and Hurricane Katrina is a prime example, organizers say. The tour will focus on the significance of organizing communities of color across the country that are disproportionately affected by the climate change issue.
