My name is Yasmeen Blake, and I’m a journalist and documentarian from New Orleans. I was just nine years old when Katrina struck. My family stayed behind to ride out Hurricane Katrina. While we didn’t lose everything, we did lose our way of life. We were forced out of our home to sleep beneath an overpass for 3 nights before spending two weeks on the road, displaced and unsure of what would come next.

Now, two decades later, I’m creating a documentary called “Together in the Eye: 20 Years Later” — a personal, heartfelt look at my family’s journey through the storm and back again. This film explores not only the trauma of displacement but also the beauty of survival, the strength of Black families, and the culture that makes New Orleans unlike anywhere else in the world.

Why this matters:

Many stories about Hurricane Katrina have been told, but few center on everyday Black families who lived through it — who still carry the weight of it. This documentary is about preserving our history, honoring our resilience, and telling the truth through the eyes of someone who lived it.

How the funds will help:

Your donation will help cover:

Equipment and production costs

Travel to interview displaced residents

Editing, color grading, and sound design

Archival footage and music licensing

Community screenings and festival submissions

With your support, Together in the Eye will become more than a film — it will become a legacy.

Whether you can give $10 or $1,000, every contribution brings this vision closer to life. Thank you for believing in the power of storytelling, in New Orleans, and in families like mine.

Let’s keep our story alive.