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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Reggie Dance
The RDPR Group
rdance@Therdprgroup.com 973-934-0055

5th Annual New Orleans Katrina Commemoration March to Honor Lives Lost Due to Hurricane Katrina and a Call to Action for Environmental Reform in the Gulf Coast

Hip Hop Caucus, New Orleans Katrina Commemoration and National Wildlife Federation Team Up to Bring National Awareness for New Orleans' Continued Need for Economic Support and Restoration

NEW ORLEANS, La.

The New Orleans Katrina Commemoration Foundation, Hip Hop Caucus and
National Wildlife Federation have teamed up to organize the 5th Annual
New Orleans Katrina Commemoration March on Sunday, August 29, 2010.
3,000 New Orleans residents, local officials and entertainers are
anticipated for the ceremony which will include the reading of names
from those lost during Hurricane Katrina and a 3 mile March to remember
the lives of those lost during the tragic hurricane.

The Hip Hop Caucus, National Wildlife Federation and New Orleans Katrina
Commemoration Foundation organized the March to continue national
awareness to the injustices that took place during the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina which caused additional death and suffering and has
yet to be addressed. The March also calls for a comprehensive recovery
plan of the Gulf Coast which focuses on areas such as housing needs, job
placement, environment restoration and oil spill response amongst other
initiatives necessary to put New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on track
for recovery.

"The 5th Anniversary Katrina Commemoration March and Secondline is an
important ceremony we've built here in New Orleans to show the families
of victims and residents we have not forgotten about their struggle to
resume their lives," said Sess 4-5, Co Founder of the New Orleans
Katrina Commemoration Foundation. "It is vital for the American people
and government officials outside of New Orleans recognize our hardships
continue and we still need their help to get many families back home and
on their feet after this disaster."

"Five years have gone by and New Orleans has still not received the
necessary backing from the United States government to help restore this
city to prominence," stated Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President of the
Hip Hop Caucus. "It is vital the people of New Orleans and local
officials unite and demonstrate our communities are still in dire need
of assistance as well recognize and create an action plan to restore our
coast and protect New Orleans for future generations."

"The Katrina anniversary and oil spill are both wake up calls that we
need to restore Louisiana's coastal wetlands, which are nature's first
defense against storms, sea level rise and flooding," said National
Wildlife Federation President and CEO Larry Schweiger. "Restoring the
coastal wetlands will not only help protect the communities and
ecosystems in south Louisiana but also help the region recover from the
BP oil spill."

The commemoration events begin at 10:00 a.m. with the reading of the
names of our lost loved ones at the Lower 9th Ward Levee Breach at
Jourdan and North Galvez. Following the Healing Ceremony, at 10:45 a.m.
the March Secondline will begin through the streets of New Orleans and
conclude at 12:45 at Hunter's Field. From 12:45, the Commemoration
Program will begin with community members, local musicians, hip hop
artists, gospel choir and spoken word performances.

For more information on the Commemoration Events, please visit, www.HipHopCaucus.org or www.KatrinaCommemoration.org.

List of Endorsers for 5th Annual Katrina Commemoration and Secondline March

1SKY
2CENT ENTERTAINMENT
350.ORG
ADVOCATES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS
AFL-CIO
AFRICAN AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTALIST ASSOCIATION

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION,
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL FUND
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
AMERICAN RIGHTS AT WORK
ANTI-RACISM WORKING GROUP
APOLLO ALLIANCE
ASANTE FOUNDATION

BENJAMIN FOUNDATION
BLACK LEADERSHIP FORUM
BLACK LOVE MOVEMENT
BLACK MEN UNITED
BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT
BLOWOUT CONSCIOUSNESS
BROTHER UMRANI
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENT COMMERCE AND ENERGY

CHESAPEAKE CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK
CODE PINK
COMMITTEE TO RE-OPEN CHARITY
COMMON GROUND HEALTH CLINIC
COMMUNITY BOOK CENTER
COMMUNITY UNITED FOR CHANGE
CRAIGE CULTURAL CENTER
CRITICAL RESISTANCE
CRESCENT CITY ANTI-AUTHORITARIANS

DC GREENWORKS
DEEP SOUTH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY
DIARY FROM THE DOME
DREAMING OUT LOUD, INC.
EARLINE'S PRALINES
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVE
FM 98.5
FEDERALLY EMPLOYED WOMEN

FINDING OUR FOLKS
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
FYRE YOUTH SQUAD
GET FRESH
GLOBAL EXCHANGE
GRASSROOTS AMERICA
GREEN DMV
GRIND FOR THE GREEN
GRINDSTAFF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

GRIS GRIS LAB
HEADCOUNT
HIGHLANDER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER
HIP HOP CAUCUS
HOT 8 BRASS BAND
HOT OFF DA PRESS PROMOTION
INDUSTRY INFLUENCE
IRON RAIL BOOK COLLECTIVE
JUNEBUG

JUVENILE JUSTICE PROJECT OF LOUISIANA
LEVI.ORG
LOUISIANA JUSTICE INSTITUTION
LOYOLA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
MALCOLM X GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE--NEW ORLEANS
MIKE B. DA GRINDA
OLD SKOOL 106.7 FM
N'COBRA

NATION OF ISLAM MOSQUE #42
NATIONAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK MAYORS
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF BLACK WOMEN
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN
NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

NEW ORLEANS WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION
NOLA.TV
NUTHIN' BUT FIRE RECORDS
PEACE KEEPERS
PRAXIS PROJECT KATRINA INFORMATION NETWORK
POWER 102.9 FM
Q93.3 FM
RAINBOW PUSH COALITION
RS SECURITY INC

SESS 4-5
SAFE STREETS
SLAM NEW ORLEANS
SOJOURNER TRUTH COMMUNITY CENTER
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
STAND WITH UNITY
STOOGES BRASS BAND
SURVIVORS VILLAGE
TAMBORINE AND FAN

THE FRUIT WIZARD
THE UPTOWN WING SHACK
TRANSAFRICA FORUM
TRUTH UNIVERSAL
TULANE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM
UNITED TEACHERS OF NEW ORLEANS
UPTOWN WING SHACK
VITAMINWATER
WBOK 1230 AM

WILD WAYNE
YOUNG SINO
ZION TRINITY