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Media Contacts:

Keith Kamisugi
Assoc. Director of Communications
kkamisugi@equaljusticesociety.org
415-876-0589
(media calls only please)

Bio: June Washington
Resident, New Orleans

Mrs. June Washington is a resident of New Orleans. She and her husband waited through the storm in their New Orleans home with their son, who suffered a heart attack the Saturday before the storm, and other family members. The water began rushing into the house early Monday morning, just as the storm passed. Having no time to grab clothing or food, the family was barely able to escape to the attic, where they remained for more than 24 hours. A neighbor rescued them by boat, but could not help them leave New Orleans; the best he could do was drop them on a dry stretch of a flooded road.

The Washingtons eventually made their way to the Superdome. Inside, they reeled from the stench of feces and were told that medical services would not be available, despite their son's fragile condition. After suffering through days in squalid conditions, the family, along with nearly 30,000 others who sought refuge in the Superdome, was told to line up for buses arriving to carry them to safety in Houston. June Washington stood in line with her husband, recovering son, and other family members for more than 24 hours waiting for the buses to arrive. When they requested water from guardsmen watching over them, bottles of water were pitched hard at their body; other times, bottles of water would be haphazardly tossed into the crowd, like candy tossed from a parade float. The bus that Mrs. Washington finally boarded did not go to Houston. Separated from her husband, she learned hours into the drive that she would instead be going to Dallas.

En route to Dallas, the passengers were searched repeatedly - their bodies and their belongings - and told that they were refugees who would not be allowed to do to their destination town what they had done to New Orleans. Throughout the ordeal, Mrs. Washington feared for her son's health, as they were repeatedly unable to obtain medical assistance. Mrs. Washington's fears were well placed: denied medical assistance for nearly a week, he suffered a subsequent heart attack. Nearly two months later, he still has not fully recovered; doctors are unsure whether he ever will.