Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, devastating New Orleans and exposing the consequences of prior wetland degradation and land-use changes in the Mississippi Delta. The storm resulted in significant loss of life and property, revealing deep-seated environmental injustices and systemic failures in disaster response. The aftermath of Katrina has spurred ongoing discussions about climate resilience, urban planning, and the need for equitable recovery efforts in vulnerable communities.

Sparked a wave of Gulf Coast poetry on resilience, race, and ecology, influencing African American and environmental justice poets like those in anthologies addressing disaster and recovery.