Oxfam's Rhonda Jackson confronts the oil spill on the coast of Louisiana, the state that has been her lifelong home. Photo by

Rhonda Jackson is an Oxfam America Gulf Coast program manager. Here is the second part of her account of what she saw on a recent field visit through Louisiana’s marshes.

Read part one

I returned to the marina saddened, angry, hurt—and confused. Then, I spoke with local residents. I talked to folks who had lived and worked here for generations. I talked to fishermen, oysterman, local sheriffs, and business owners. Our conversations gave me hope; I was reminded of the resiliency of my fellow Louisiana residents. I was reminded that even if there is only a glimmer of hope, we will find a reason to stay in the battle. I was reminded why I do this work—why Oxfam does this work—because in order to stay in the battle, these folks are going to need to be armed with a few things. Read the rest of this entry »