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“Disparities among these communities have existed for decades,” Chauncia Willis, CEO and founder of the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, told theGrio.
Mississippi residents devastated because of the deadly tornado that ripped through several counties last week have a “long road to recovery,” a Biden official told theGrio.
“It’s just heartbreaking and devastating to see the damage,” said Marcus Coleman, director of the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
More than 20 lives were lost and the extremely rare EF4 tornado destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. Federal officials quickly responded to the natural disaster and are assisting state and local authorities and community organizations to ensure that the needs of victims are met.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration in Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties, unlocking federal aid and resources for Mississippi victims, including federal grants for temporary housing and home repairs, as well as loans to cover uninsured property losses.
President Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden will visit the damaged areas of Rolling Fork, Mississippi on Friday to meet with first responders, state local officials and community members.
Members of the Biden-Harris administration, including Coleman, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, were also on the ground to assess the damage and provide support to residents.
Most of the victims in Mississippi are Black and poor. In Rolling Fork, where much of the damage occurred, nearly 80 percent of the population is Black and the median income is just over $38,000, according to U.S. Census data.
Chauncia Willis, CEO and founder of the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management (I-DIEM), noted that the mostly Black residents of Rolling Fork were at a “disadvantage” before the tornado hit, exposing a larger equity issue as it relates to emergency preparedness.
“Disparities among these communities have existed for decades,” Willis told theGrio. “They had poor or no internet and cell capabilities, no access to a nearby tornado shelter — the nearest was 17 miles away — and many probably were living in substandard structures that were no match for the estimated 170-mph winds.”
She continued: “These communities have some of the highest poverty rates of anywhere in the country. It is important to understand that poverty is a powerful barrier. Poverty is a barrier to resilience, barrier to recovery and a barrier to survival.”
Despite the federal assistance being provided to help impacted communities, rebuilding will take years and some parts of town may never fully recover.
“There are no easy answers,” Coleman said, noting that the impacts of climate change are causing frequent natural disasters, particularly in the South. “We still have people recovering from the tornadoes in Selma; people recovering from the tornadoes in Mayfield, Kentucky, and — of course — now in Mississippi, there’s a lot of complexities for a whole new set of folks.”
The Biden official said victims “will be traumatized and working through grief for a long time.”
Understanding the economic challenges and beyond for those impacted, the administration said it is committed to supporting victims through an “intersectional” and interagency approach that will include the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Commerce, as well as the Department of Education to support children “navigate the disruption in their lives.”
“We, alongside our federal government partners, will be doing it together to make sure that the community can continue their road to recovery from these devastating storms,” said Coleman.
The director, whose role involves partnering with faith-based organizations and non-profits on the ground, said he was especially moved by the ways in which local groups, including historically Black sororities and fraternities, teamed up with the Red Cross to provide food, water and shelter.
Coleman said churches, in particular, often provide a needed refuge for communities that suffer when natural disasters occur. They are a necessary resource for those whose lives have been turned upside down, he emphasized. “I think when we talk about the role of just the faith community broadly, it can show up like providing that very invaluable emotional and spiritual care, their presence and solace,” he said.
Willis of I-DIEM said federal assistance for Rolling Fork residents, and all victims of emergency disasters, must be equitable for those “who need it most.”
“Lack of equity contributes to the negative impacts that we have seen in landmark disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and continue to see today in Rolling Fork,” she said. “These communities will continue to face additional challenges, including navigating federal assistance programs, finding employment and rebuilding in a community with limited resources without intentional efforts for equity.”
More notably, she said, “disasters like this push people further into poverty, which can result in generational poverty.”
In the meantime, Biden officials and partners said they would remain in the community of Rolling Fork and surrounding areas to ensure that they are registering victims for federal assistance. “We’re going to continue to meet people where they are,” said Coleman.
Gerren Keith Gaynor is the Managing Editor of Politics and White House Correspondent at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.
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