Single moms found a foothold in trade jobs after Hurricane Katrina. That progress is in jeopardy.

Jessica Kutz

Gender, climate and sustainability reporter

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When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, it wiped out the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. But one industry thrived by necessity in the aftermath: demolition, debris removal and construction — the building trades in which men comprise 96 percent of the workforce. By contrast, women, who made up the majority of the tourism and hospitality services that were hit hardest by the storm, saw precipitous drops in employment.

Gender inequalities were amplified. Before the storm, many women — particularly Black women and single mothers — were trapped in low-wage jobs, and they didn’t have the necessary resources to get back on their feet post-Katrina