This selection of photographs by Wayne Lawrence places people within the context of their Katrina-damaged environments. Rather than showing them as singularly defined or overwhelmed by their experiences, Lawrence creates portraits that convey the individuality and dignity of these New Orleans residents.

Lawrence is one of ten members of Kamoinge—a New York-based collective of African American photographers—who documented communities ravished by the hurricane and the devastation's far-reaching economic, social, and racial ramifications. The resulting body of work explores the despair, as well as the hope and resilience, of residents who have lived in these communities for generations.