Backstory: Hurricane Stories, Andres Arauz

For the Arauz family, returning to their home in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was almost like another immigration. After a history of relocations—from Nicaragua to Canada, from Miami to Louisiana—they were asked to rebuild their lives from scratch once again.

For Andres Arauz—at ten years old, the youngest of three siblings—“rebuild” means “create.” His father, Alberto, is a graphic designer, and has always fought to keep his family’s creative spirit alive when difficult circumstances threaten to stamp it out. During the long months that the family spent in a FEMA trailer without TV, once-beloved toys, or other amusements, Andres spent hours “trying to think of something to draw, thinking of the hurricane.” Andres says that when they finally got another TV, he wasn’t really interested in watching it anymore. “Once you start, you can’t stop,” he says of his new creative whirlwind.

Andres also loves to write. He says writing is his favorite part of school, and he has been keeping a diary since before the hurricane. The safety of his diary was a main concern during the storm, but gratefully it was nestled next to his lofted bed, above the water line. Andres says he likes “to write about his feelings.”

When asked what he’s been creating recently, Andres speaks of his mother’s garden. The family replanted it as soon as they moved back to their home. It’s doing wonderfully, and Andres calls it a “new symbol of hope.” He’s been documenting its growth through his drawings.

—Andres Arauz, Age 10, Kenner, LA