Twenty years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the impact of that catastrophic event continues to resonate deeply in the lives of many, including rapper Poo$ie, who is now raising his 6-year-old son Zavion in East Oakland.
Poo$ie reflects on his childhood in New Orleans, marked by violence and tragedy, particularly the loss of his father to gun violence just six months prior to the hurricane that displaced thousands.
“I was supposed to be with him the day he got killed,” Poo$ie shares, describing the emotional turmoil that followed his father’s murder and how it spiraled him into a dark place.
“Because of what I experienced, I take parenting and art more seriously than most people,” he adds, emphasizing the importance of his son being by his side even at shows.
His music, characterized by a blend of raw honesty and spiritual depth, serves as a channel for the experiences of those he has lost. He mentions the late rapper Soulja Slim, stating, “I’m channeling a certain energy. I represent a lot of people that ain’t here.”
Poo$ie’s upbringing began in the notorious Calliope Projects and the Eighth Ward, but at the time of the hurricane, his family had just moved to a townhouse in Chalmette, a neighborhood near the Lower Ninth Ward.
Now a successful artist, he feels profoundly aware of the forces that guided him to where he is today, including the strength of his mother, Letitia Morris-Ward, and her small black purse that became a symbol of survival during the storm.
Letitia recalls her own experience during that turbulent time. Just days after her birthday, she celebrated surrounded by family but had no idea the storm was about to change everything.
“My only request was a small black Guess purse, just to say it was my birthday,” she reminisces.
Weeks later, that purse would become a lifeline. Having just moved her three sons out of the projects, Letitia was determined to keep them safe.
Initially alerted by friends and family about the storm’s severity, Letitia hurriedly packed her sons into the car to reach her mother in the Eighth Ward. But upon trying to return home, they were stopped at a checkpoint because she didn’t have any identification; she’d left her black purse behind.
Miraculously, when they returned, the purse was untouched on the porch, a testament to the swift exodus of the city’s residents.
Despite warnings from an armed serviceman who told her they would be under 20 feet of water, Letitia insisted on going home. “That’s between me and God,” she defiantly replied.
Once back inside their home, she attempted to prepare a meal for her family, dismissing the storm as a routine rain event. But as her mother spoke up about water seeping inside, it quickly became apparent that the situation was dire.
The family was forced to flee upwards as the winds tore the roof off their home, and they soon joined neighbors in breaking through walls in search of safety.
In one harrowing moment, Letitia held Poo$ie out the window to flag down a passing boat, but she quickly pulled him back, fearful of the traumatic sights he would see in the floodwaters.
There was a moment that would stay with Poo$ie forever — witnessing a lifeless woman floating by, holding a baby close.
Eventually, after enduring 16 hours of rising waters and tumultuous conditions, the family was rescued, but not all could be saved. RaShad, her eldest son, had to stay behind as there was no room in the rescue boat.
Letitia made rescuers promise to reunite her with RaShad, clutching her black purse filled with critical documents and a photo of her son.
The family was taken to a makeshift shelter where her two other sons slept in a cell, and Letitia spent the night anxiously awaiting news of RaShad’s rescue.
Her heart sank every moment he didn’t return, and she remained there until exhaustion got the better of her.
After relocating to a shelter at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Letitia struggled to provide for her boys amid difficult living conditions, which included unwanted Army food and her own declining health.
At some point, she made the difficult decision to leave the shelter entirely, driven by desperation only to turn back for the sake of her children. “They need me; I’m their last option,” she kept reminding herself.
Even in difficult times, the kindness of strangers proved invaluable. While at a Walgreens, Letitia encountered Jessica Johnson, mother of NBA rookie Tyrus Thomas, who lent a helping hand when she found Letitia in need of insulin for her ailing mother.
Their shared connection sparked a friendship, with Johnson pledging to help Letitia after learning about RaShad’s whereabouts.
Days later, through Johnson’s efforts, she located RaShad, who had been seen shirtless and shoeless outside a dollar store in Houston, far from the chaos of New Orleans.
After 12 long days of separation from her son, Letitia rushed to reunite with RaShad, which came as a huge relief for the family.
With all the boys back together, Letitia drew strength from her purse, especially from the phone book with a vital contact number: her brother in Oakland, California.
The journey to Oakland was fraught with new challenges, including expensive housing and discrimination as Katrina survivors. But for Poo$ie, Oakland eventually blossomed into a home.
He thrived in sports, particularly in football, making headlines at McClymonds High School as a star running back who contributed to two consecutive citywide championships.
In grappling with his past, Poo$ie turned to music as a therapeutic outlet. “I know what can help me,” he told his mother before diving into writing rap music as a means to process the tumultuous events of his life.
Since then, he has released nine full-length albums, using his own experiences to inform his art.
Letitia, too, found healing in sharing her story, something that wasn’t always easy for her. Previously more guarded, she now finds solace in discussing her past trauma related to Hurricane Katrina, hoping to help others in distress.
As an employee of AC Transit for nearly two decades, Letitia has established a stable life in Oakland. Even though she has revisited New Orleans several times after the storm, her heart ached for her late mother, who had vowed to never return to the city she once called home.
“New Orleans is in me, bro,” Poo$ie says emphatically, celebrating the culture and heritage that shaped him and his family’s identity.
Alongside that cultural legacy, Letitia ensured Poo$ie learned important life skills. observing her perseverance throughout hardships, he strives to teach Zavion survival skills, preparing him for the unpredictable world.
Today, Letitia embraces a new chapter in life, surrounded by family photos in her Hayward apartment, striving to eliminate any negative energy that could disrupt her peace.
Her transformation and growth as a person is evident to Poo$ie, who expresses admiration for his mother’s journey toward healing, remarking, “I’ve literally seen my mom change as a person,” and cherishing the vulnerability that helps them bond.
With the legacy of Hurricane Katrina etched into their lives, both Poo$ie and Letitia have threaded their experiences into their identities, channeling trauma into artistry and resilience.
image source from：kqed
