Statement by Zanele Ngubeni, President of Gideon’s Promise
It is unfortunate that many citizens were denied full access to their rights during the recent flooding that occurred throughout a large portion of our nation. During Louisiana’s catastrophic 2024 flood, the nation witnessed a disturbing pattern of disregard for some of our society’s most vulnerable: incarcerated individuals left behind in the storm’s path. As relentless rains submerged neighborhoods, caused power outages, and isolated entire communities, the crisis exposed a profound failure of justice for those unable to protect themselves.
Despite evacuation warnings, many incarcerated individuals were left stranded in jails and prisons as the floodwaters rose, cut off from vital resources like clean water, food, and electricity. This oversight is a reminder of the inhumanity too often faced by incarcerated people during natural disasters. They are at the mercy of a system that, in times of crisis, continues to disregard their fundamental rights.
This failure to protect echoes the shameful history of Hurricane Katrina, where nearly 7,000 individuals were trapped in Orleans Parish Prison as floodwaters ravaged the city. Following Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana implemented it’s state-wide public defender system and I was one of the first lawyers hired under that new system and trained by Gideon’s Promise. And while it seemed progress was made with some facilities evacuated ahead of Hurricane Ida in 2021, the recent 2024 flood demonstrates that this pattern of neglect persists.
At Gideon’s Promise, we believe that dignity and human rights are universal. Those who are incarcerated are members of our community and deserve the same care and protection during a crisis as any other person. They are humans—fathers, mothers, sons, daughters—entitled to safety, respect, and justice. We need your help to continue this fight against injustice.
In times like these, we rely on the support of compassionate individuals and allies who stand with us in the fight for justice. To prevent further injustices, we need the active support of people who believe in protecting human rights and defending those who cannot always defend themselves. By advocating for change, supporters can help Gideon’s Promise continue to defend the rights of all, even those society often forgets. Together, let us work toward a world where no person—regardless of their circumstances—is left behind.
Natural disasters should be a time when communities come together to protect the vulnerable, not when we look the other way. The tragedy of this year’s flood demands that we redouble our commitment to a justice system that values all people. Let this moment be a call to action to ensure no person is left behind, forgotten, or abandoned
At Gideon’s Promise, we will continue to advocate for a system that recognizes and defends the humanity in all of us.