Obama: "We learned lessons from Katrina"
"If Katrina was an example of what happens when government fails, the recovery has been an example of what happens when government works together," President Obama declared at the Andrew P. Sanchez Community Center in New Orleans on Thursday, marking the 10th anniversary of the devastating hurricane.
The president touted the lessons the federal government has learned from its response to Hurricane Katrina, its new focus on resiliency and preparedness, and the progress that New Orleans has made in 10 years.
"We've made a lot of progress over the last 10 years. That gives us hope, but it doesn't allow for complacency," he said. "This new community center stands as a symbol of the extraordinary resilience of this city, of its people... of the entire Gulf Coast and of the American people."
Before the storm, he pointed out, the New Orleans high school graduation rate was 54 percent; now it's up to 73 percent. Schools, hospitals and historic buildings have been rebuilt. "Together, we're building a New Orleans as entrepreneurial as any place in the country," he said.
On top of that,the federal government has made its own improvements since the storm. "We learned lessons from Katrina," the president said, highlighting the revamped Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Still, Mr. Obama insisted the work of rebuilding New Orleans isn't done. "Our work won't be done when a typical black household earns half the income of a typical white household in this city," he said. "When too many people have yet to find good affordable housing."
The recovery has been so challenging, he said, because of the "structural inequalities" in New Orleans that affected people of color and low-income residents.
"The storm laid bare a deeper tragedy that had been brewing for decades," he said.
"As hard as building levees is, as hard as rebuilding housing is, real change -- real, lasting, structural change -- that's even harder," the president continued. "But I'm here to say, to hold up a mirror and say, because of you the people of New Orleans working together, this city is moving in the right direction... You inspire me."
Before speaking at the community center, Mr. Obama walked through the historic Treme section of New Orleans and stopped for fried chicken at Willie Mae Scotch House.
