Synopsis
Because of the toxic political corruption, and business as usual attitudes that permeated Louisiana and the City of New Orleans pre-Katrina, cronyism, gross mismanagement, and discrimination on all levels took place post Katrina while a major American city drowned. More than 250,000 people were forced out of their homes and a little over 80% of the city was under water. Recovery efforts were identical to watching people “build an airplane while in flight.” Studies show that disaster relief efforts cost 15 times more than being proactive. Albert Einstein’s insanity theorem talks about expecting different results by doing the same thing over and over again. In order for this great City to rise again, the government must learn the lessons from Hurricane Katrina. While the entire world watched in amazement the recovery efforts take place in the Greater New Orleans area, I was witnessing a chilling account of another disaster developing right before my eyes while on the inside as Compliance Specialist for ICF and the Road Home Program. For more info, excerpts, and reviews visit: www.whycantigetoverkatrina.com
About the Author
Zelia Williams supervises federally-funded programs developed from President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and Housing and Economic Recovery Acts. This Rockefeller Fellows Finalist has helped plan/develop over $877 million in housing and economic development projects in Louisiana and Texas, and manages one of the largest budgets in her department ($3.4 million) concerning HUD funds while administering the NSP and HPRP. When she’s not working on recovery programs, Williams’ career services/workforce development company is helping thousands of job seekers by offering solutions for individuals in both corporate and federal sectors. She also empowers college students by providing group workshops on how to obtain lucrative paying jobs in corporate, nonprofit, blue collar, city, state, and federal employments; and advises job seekers on the Number 1 question they should always ask the interviewer. Williams conducts training presentations to directors and managers on policies and procedures, the Code of Federal Regulations, and will be providing technical assistance on state and federal contract administration with one of the largest contracting companies in America. She has earned accolades from HUD for “meeting expenditure deadlines ahead of schedule.” Williams was nominated for the L’Oreal Paris 2008 Women of Worth Award, featured in Ebony magazine in 2007, recipient of the 2001 African-Americans in Higher Education Award, and can now add ‘author’ to her many accomplishments. She is a Contributing Writer for The New Orleans Agenda and is a member of the National Association of Professional Women. Williams has appeared on WDSU-Channel 6 News, WBOK-AM 1230, The Eastern New Orleans Newsletter (NOELA), Citizens Road Home Action Team (CHAT), The New Orleans Agenda, WYLD-FM 98.5 Sunday Journal, and My New Orleans: Katrina Remembrance at the Presbytere (L.A. State Museum). A graduate of Dillard University and Dean’s List student, she finished college in three years, and went on to continue her graduate studies in Education. She is the mother of two daughters, her oldest, who is a graduate and recipient of the Provost Undergraduate Research Scholarship Award from the University of Houston, and currently a Researcher for the V.A., and her youngest, a junior at an International Baccalaureate World School who was recently inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars by Mr. Claes Nobel [Nobel Peace Prize].
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