Reflection

My poem is inspired by Hurricane Katrina. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, with its intensity reaching Category 5, it caused major floods. These floods destroyed homes and businesses, and ripped families apart. For my submission, I researched these floods and the effects of them. In my poem, Sadia, a young girl, experiences a major flood in her neighborhood, which left her home ruined and her family torn apart. This neighborhood is a mostly minority neighborhood, which reflects the truth of the effects of climate change; often, they affect minorities more severely. While writing this poem, I felt sad, because I knew that the story I was telling is a real one for many people. My message to viewers is to educate yourselves about natural disasters caused by climate change; knowledge is essential to understanding. After doing research on water, I have learned that flooding and heavy rains are happening at four times the rate as in 1980. Unfortunately, unless we work together to prevent climate change, the rates of flooding will only increase. After learning about the effects of climate change, I have put myself on a mission to donate and volunteer for hurricane relief when I am able to, and to spread the message.