As I’ve followed the news of Hurricane Katrina, I’ve been reminded how overwhelming natural disasters are. People in the midst of them experience terror, pain, confusion. People viewing the devastation from outside feel shocked and helpless. I lived through a disaster, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in northern California. While its scope was much smaller than Hurricane Katrina’s, the basic responses of the survivors and the larger world were the same.
Natural disasters bring out something else in people: the urge to — even the need to — make a difference. After the ’89 earthquake, volunteers formed bucket brigades to fight fires and directed snarled traffic through streets without functioning stoplights. People who had food and water shared with those who weren’t so fortunate. Donations came in from all over. Helping others gave everyone a sense of control, something that’s badly needed when Nature reminds us how tenuous normality can be.
It’s time to take control of Katrina’s aftermath. Of course, you can give money, time, and materials to many organizations, such as the Red Cross and AmeriCares. (Before you do, check with your employer. I found out that creativepro.com’s parent company, PrintingForLess.com, would match my donation, so I doubled my giving power at one stroke.) But you don’t have to stop there. As a creative professional, you can offer unique assistance.
For example, folks at The Chopping Block, a New York studio, created Displaced Designer. This site is a clearinghouse where creative pros whose livelihoods have been disrupted by Katrina can post their needs and be matched with anyone with extra office space, even if it’s just a "handful of square feet from which to start to work and continue to earn a living."
At press time, individuals and companies from 11 states have posted on the Offer a Desk section of Displaced Designer. Please visit the site and participate, if you can.
Another example: The AIGA is collecting information from Gulf Coast designers in need and from those who can help. AIGA member Terry Stone (no relation to me) is chairing an AIGA relief task force. To take an active role in the task force, write to re****@**ga.org. If you attend the AIGA Design Conference in Boston next week, look for the special session on how to help colleagues affected by Katrina.
I’m sure there are other creative pro-oriented relief efforts I haven’t heard about. To spread the word, go to "Respond to this article" below the Vox Box icon on the left-hand side of the page, and post as much detailed information as possible.
It’s important that we not give in to feelings of helplessness. Just remember, we can make a difference.
This article was last modified on December 17, 2022
This article was first published on September 6, 2005
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