BY LYNNE INOUYE AND SYDNEY WESCHCKE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF IN TRAINING AND STAFF WRITER
On February 11, 2021, the winter storms that nearly shut down Texas began. Over the next week or so, residents had to face frigid temperatures often without heat, due to the widespread power outages that affected nearly 4 million people. Even when the power returned, broken pipes and a lack of access to clean water provided no relief to those still struggling in the storms.
With these conditions, various groups and individuals were scrambling to put together resources after a week of almost no aid. On February 18, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – known by her initials AOC – launched a fundraiser after a large power grid failed, leading to an advisory to boil water for almost half of the state. By that evening, it already raised $1 million dollars, and by February 21, AOC revealed that they had reached $5 million in donations. “Charity can’t replace policy,” she said, “but solidarity is how we’ll face climate change and build a better world.” She also later flew to Texas to help distribute supplies with Texas Representative Sylvia Garcia.
Furthermore, organizations such as Feeding Texas, The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, and Central Texas Food Bank began working to provide resources to residents. President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Texas, letting the Federal Emergency Management Agency provide more aid, as well. However, despite all this going on, there had still been a large chunk of time where no mass effort had been enforced. As of March 25, the official death toll from the storms had reached 111 people. The most common cause of death being hypothermia, reports say.
Additionally, political consequences of this event remain to be seen. With Texas Representative Ted Cruz leaving the state right as the storms began, he has come under fire for not significantly helping. The Democrat he won against in 2018, Beto O’Rourke was working in disaster relief while he was in Cancun, too. O’Rourke raised nearly $1 million in donations, and experts speculate that these responses may influence elections.
Thank you for reading, everyone – stay safe!
Sources:
https://apple.news/AMDfsPVAXQEG2rzrNq4aojg
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/21/politics/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-texas-relief/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/20/politics/biden-texas-disaster-declaration/index.html