Michelle Petlow, Camille Alfaro-Martell, and Rachel Leff-Kich
Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29, 2005, taking the lives of more than 1800 people and leaving at least $81 billion dollars in damage. The city of New Orleans, Louisiana felt the greatest devastation due to the tremendous flooding and the levee system breaking in the Lower Ninth Ward. Despite the passage of time and an unprecedented Super Bowl win, there is still a need for volunteers in New Orleans and many low-income people are still feeling the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. While the city has not lost its wonderful personality, it has not returned to the city it once was. The effects of Katrina on the city of New Orleans should not be forgotten.
Santa Clara Law’s Student Bar Association has showed continued support to the city by establishing an Alternative Spring Break Trip to New Orleans. This student-planned trip began in 2007, and this marks the fourth year students will return to provide pro bono legal aid. The trip unites law students who share a commitment to working for social change, a goal encouraged by Santa Clara Law.
The participants feel honored to meet attorneys, workers, and individuals who are willing to share their stories and personal experiences. The invaluable experience volunteering in New Orleans is meaningful for everyone who has gone on the trip. Seeing such raw destruction that remains untouched even a few years after Katrina and working with people to rebuild their lives that have been torn apart raises an awareness about social and economic inequity that is essential for progressive lawyering. While some law students begin their legal careers knowing they want to pursue public interest work, for some the NOLA trip has been the inspiration for what will become a lifetime of pro bono and volunteer work. This awareness and dedication benefits the SCU community and the legal profession as a whole.
Read more on the Santa Clara Law Alternative Spring Break blog
