Hurricane Katrina: Displaced Single Mothers, Resource Acquisition, and Downward Mobility

1. Hurricane Katrina: Displaced Single Mothers, Resource Acquisition, and Downward Mobility Jennifer Tobin-Gurley, M.A. Lori Peek, Ph.D Department of Sociology Colorado State University

2. Hurricane Katrina Loss and Displacement • Damaged 90,000 square miles of U.S. coast, killed ~1,800, and caused $100 billion in losses • Forced relocation of 1.2 million people Displaced to Colorado • 14,000 in Colorado Social Context • Half of the displaced from New Orleans • Evacuees more likely to be minorities, economically disenfranchised, and living in inferior housing prior to the storm, with the poorest families ending up the farthest from the Gulf.

3. Why Single Mothers? • 13.6 million single parents raising 21.2 million children in the U.S. • 84% single mothers • 16% single fathers • Number of single mother headed households rising in the U.S. • Single mothers have the least economic resources

4. Percentage of Families Below the Poverty Threshold Married Couple Male Headed Female Headed WhiteBlackAsianHispanic

5. Percentage of Female-Headed Families with Children under 18

6. Pre-Katrina New Orleans:Women in Poverty All Women White Black Female- Headed

7. Theoretical Background Gender and Vulnerability to Disaster • Power relationships greatly influence preparation for and recovery from disaster • Pre-disaster social issues parallel post-disaster issues • Women-headed households are the most vulnerable Gender and Hurricane Katrina • Women and children of color were the most affected, but received the least attention Downward Mobility • Loss of social and economic status following disaster

8. Research Objectives • Resources provided by relief agencies. • Resources needed by single mothers. • Resources accessed by single mothers.

9. Research Design Post-Disaster Research Qualitative Methods • Data Collection • Settings: Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo • Participants: 15 disaster relief providers, 8 single mothers • Gaining Entrée • Data Analysis

10. Disaster Assistance in Colorado Needs and Resources Provided • Shelter and Housing • Food • Transportation • Employment • Childcare and Schooling • Health Care • Physical • Mental • Additional Resources

11. Disaster Assistance in Colorado Challenges • Bureaucracy • Communication • Cultural Differences • Finding Evacuees • Illegal Activities

12. Displaced Single Mothers in Colorado Needs of Single Mother Families • Housing Stability • Food • Childcare • Employment • Health Care • Social Networks

13. Downward Mobility and Resiliency Downward Mobility • Finances • Government Assistance • Stigma • Employment • Social Networks • Self-Evacuation Resiliency

14. Food Healthcare Clothing Conclusion Childcare and Schooling Shelter and Housing Recovery-Related Difficulties • Unaware of public and private resources • Conjunction of needs • Loss of safety net • Bureaucratic obstacles • Mistreatment based on race, region of origin, social class, and/or household status (female-headed) Employment Transportation