It was the Sunday before Labor Day. Homes were demolished. Families were estranged. The plight of class and race became ever more prevalent. As a new struggle occurred in America, President Bush was under scrutiny for his late response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Michael Brown, recently announced that victims of Hurricane Katrina would be rescued . And one man had had enough…

“The hurricane was not the tragedy in this case,” said Griffin Rivers. “The wait to help victims is what ruined a culture.” He explained that the state of this devastation was due to the delayed response from the government officials. Rivers serves as the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus Liaison to the State House of Representatives.

As a New Orleans native, Rivers along with his wife, Dr. Freya Rivers, originally from Baton Rouge sought together to bring relief to the hurricane victims, as well as bring evacuees to Lansing.
Rivers initially contacted the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus to gather insight on how to help. Due to unsuccessful communication, Rivers continued to lead the plan to help out through his own tactics. Rivers and his wife decided to seek donations from surrounding businesses, as they traveled to New Orleans on Saturday, September 3rd.

"It is now time to clean up and give our people back their dignity" - Griffin Rivers

They received assistance with buses from Dean Trailways Company, 30,000 lbs. of food from churches and two nurses from Sparrow Regional Hospital. WILX Channel 10 News also accompanied the relief team.

“I had covered the story the day before they left,” said WILX-TV reporter Berth Shayne. “I asked if we (Channel 10( could come, and so we went.”

Shayne noted that the 18 hour drive brought them to Baton Rouge. While there, Shayne also acknowledged how most victims were reluctant to travel such a distance from their hometown. Frustrated and confused, a total of seven people returned to Lansing. A family of four was among those rescued, and they followed the relief team in their own car- it was their only possession.

“Many families were displaced into surrounding areas,” said Rivers. “I wanted to make absolutely sure that families were rescued together.”

Rivers said they returned the next day (Monday). This was just the beginning. Currently, 114 evacuees are located near the Fort Custer ( Battle Creek) area. The relief effects progress with the contributions of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus, St. Vincent Catholic Charities, and the Lansing Community College Truck Driver Training Program.

In addition, Rivers and his wife are in conjunction with several churches in the Lansing area. He said supplies like cots, bedding, towels, toiletries, clothes, non- perishables, diapers, and cash are mostly needed. The Adopt-a-family program is provided by the Central United Methodist Church, while the St. Vincent Catholic Church issues the Buy-a-bed program. Other donation drop-offs include New Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Pentecostal Outreach Church of God in Christ, St. Stephen Community Church and the Black Child and Family Institute.

While the tactics are increasing, the urge to continue is far from over. Rivers said that this event is a call for unity more than ever before. “It is now time to clean up and give our people back their dignity.”

Latanya Simpson

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