Oxfam America Blog

As 2008 draws to a close, we’re highlighting some of the photos that we thought best captured Oxfam’s work this year. Here are my own personal picks; more to come from others.

Photo: Steve Thackston / Oxfam America

This portrait of Biloxi, MS resident Mary Meltz appeared in Mirror on America, Oxfam’s report on the state of US Gulf Coast recovery three years after Hurricane Katrina. Meltz stands in front of her new home, where construction is nearly complete, thanks to the efforts of her son Michael (an artist who covered the walls with elaborate murals), community groups, and teams of volunteers. Visible over her shoulder is the FEMA trailer where Meltz lived for nearly three years.

To me, this divided image–and Meltz’s look of weary, patient hope–captures the in-between state of many of the people I met when I visited Biloxi in June. Three years after the storm, they are still struggling to rebuild their lives, even as they look to better times ahead.

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Sharon in action. Photo by Liliana Rodriguez / Oxfam America

Last week I talked to Sharon Hanshaw, executive director of Oxfam America partner Coastal Women for Change (CWC), about her group’s grassroots efforts to register voters in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Here’s Sharon on the importance of going door-to-door, the best thing to say when you’re holding a megaphone, and what inspired a 70-year-old woman to register for the first time:

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Oh and also: voter registration deadlines are fast approaching in most US states. If you haven’t registered yet—or if you know someone who needs to—go to www.headcount.org. This nonpartisan group offers voter links, helpful FAQs, and of course, a fast and easy registration form.

Nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina hit Biloxi, MS, the walls of this house still show flood damage from the storm. Photo by Liliana Rodriguez

The US Census Bureau released its 2007 data last week, and tucked in among the facts and figures was one statistic that made headlines: More than 7.5 million Americans–almost 15 percent of American homeowners with a mortgage—are spending half of their income or more on housing.

This issue of housing has been very much on my mind lately. I live in a small apartment in the Boston area, and though my rent isn’t sky-high, it’s not exactly cheap, either. Meanwhile, I’ve recently attended several barbecues at the homes of other 30-something friends and colleagues, where I heard over and over about the perks of homeownership.

For the price of a down payment and a mortgage, I could have a tree-lined backyard, ideal for growing tomatoes, playing croquet, and hosting barbecues. I could paint my walls another color besides white. I wouldn’t wake up to my neighbors inexplicably hammering at 3 a.m. And though my friends didn’t say so, I know there are intangible benefits, too: If you own a house, you’re perceived as a solid citizen, a working adult with a stable future.

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