Faith against the storm: Filipino immigrant mobilizations for Hurricane Katrina evacuees

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina forced one of the largest internal migrations of people in US history. Among the evacuees were 28,000 Filipino Americans many of whom fled to Houston. In a short period of time, Filipino American Catholic Houstonians relocated their co-ethnics with host families, facilitated documents needed for US federal aid (FEMA), provided material assistance, and addressed evacuee medical needs through the establishment and staffing of a crisis triage clinic. Drawing on ethnographic and survey data we explore the factors that impacted and shaped Filipino American community participation and volunteerism during the events of Hurricane Katrina and after. We found that both religious and non-religious organizations were vital in the mobilization of Filipino Americans during the Katrina relief effort and subsequent natural disaster1 responses.