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I am interested in seeing how social ties and networks have been used to cope with (un)natural disasters. My research focus on places under disasters conditions such as Puerto Rico after hurricane Maria, in which social ties have made the difference between life and death. Furthermore, “natural” disaster has been used to approved austerity measures and unjust policies to impoverished communities like in New Orleans after Katrina. These policies were not new, as they are rooted in structures of power to preserve the status quo. Yet, people have resisted, “through a network of branches, cultures, and geographies” that has stimulated a reflective process of looking within for solutions rather than outside. As often this outside solutions are not only detached from community’s reality but can perpetuate social injustices and inequalities.

McKittrick, K., & Woods, C. A. (Eds.). (2007). Black geographies and the politics of place. South End Press.

Bullard, R. D., & Wright, B. (Eds.). (2009). Race, place, and environmental justice after Hurricane Katrina: Struggles to reclaim, rebuild, and revitalize New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Westview Press.

Emergency response is not directly addressed, but this article does discuss mental health counselors and debriefing of victims as key components of emergency response to a disaster to decrease the number of individuals who may suffer from mental illness due to the disaster in the future. 

There were not any portions of this film that were not convincing. 

Users can access the site from a computer or there is an app available for smart phones. 

The article was developed with the use of data analysis of accepted individuals to show the change/development in immigration policy and the increase of immigrants due to medical reasons.