In this episode of Clarissa Explains, host Clarissa Sanders examines the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, 20 years after the storm ravaged the Gulf Coast. With an estimated 1,800 lives lost and entire communities uprooted, the hurricane remains one of the deadliest and costliest disasters in U.S. history. But beyond the headlines, Katrina exposed deep systemic failures, particularly for people with disabilities.

Clarissa explores how people with disabilities were systematically excluded from emergency planning and emergency responses before, during, and after the storm. Through personal stories, like that Benilda "Benny" Caixeta, this episode sheds light on the heartbreaking realities many faced: inaccessibility, abandonment, and preventable deaths.

The episode also looks at the changes prompted by the disaster, from federal reforms to local initiatives.

TW: Death and drowning, Abandonment and neglect of vulnerable individuals, Medical euthanasia, Systemic ableism and discrimination, Elder neglect, and Graphic descriptions of disaster aftermath and suffering.

The music from this episode is "Felicity" by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au