On September 13, 2025, Dr. Robert D. Bullard, known as the “father of environmental justice”, will join the O’Niell Institute at Georgetown Law for “Memory, Medicine, and Law: Reflecting on the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina”. A curated group of scholars will lead “armchair discussions” about systemic inequities, trauma, resilience and the power of remembrance. Professor Dorothy Roberts, Professor of Law & Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, will deliver the opening keynote, with Dr. Anthony Fauci providing the closing plenary.
As 2025 marks two decades since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities, the symposium will serve as a backdrop to explore what lessons in public health, law and society can be learned, while highlighting how governments respond to natural disasters. During the discussions, Dr. Bullard will lend his expertise to the intersection of environmental justice, civil rights and a just society.
Dr. Bullard’s lifelong work as an advocate, distinguished professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy, as well as his role as Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, make him uniquely qualified to offer both historical context and cultural nuances to the ongoing fight of environmental injustice looming over minority communities.
Please visit the O’Niell Institute to explore the full speaker lineup, as well as information on how to register for the symposium.