""I saw the physical signs of stress. There was a lot of insomnia, just a lot of worrying, constantly talking about what are we going to do next?" Like many first generation immigrants in their community, her parents had limited fluency in English. They struggled to figure out how to apply for funds for rebuilding. So, Pham and other youth in the community, who were fluent in English and computer savvy, stepped up to help the older generation."
"Her family evacuated to Houston, Texas, expecting to stay there a couple of days. "Very stereotypical of someone who's lived in New Orleans for a long time, we just thought of it as another storm," recalls Pham. "It's going to come; it's going to pass." But they ended up being in Houston for a couple of months. When they finally returned to their house in Jefferson Parish, La., they saw that the storm winds had caused significant damage to their new house."
NhuNgoc Pham was a high school student in the New Orleans metro area when Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29, 2005. Her immigrant parents from Vietnam had purchased their new house about a month earlier. The family evacuated to Houston, Texas expecting only a few days but remained for months. Returning to Jefferson Parish revealed significant storm damage: roof, windows and a missing back patio required replacement. Her parents experienced severe stress, insomnia, and constant worry. Limited English fluency hindered access to rebuilding funds. Pham and other youths, fluent in English and computer savvy, helped older neighbors navigate recovery, shaping Pham's personal and professional focus on trauma recovery.
Read at www.npr.org
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