Summary: <p>I feel that I can speak for a majority when I say I prefer extreme cold over extreme heat. However, I've been fortunate enough not to experience a natural disaster firsthand. There are often consequences of these storms that tend not to cross our mind. How does one cope if they have no heat or power to rely on electrical appliances?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Today's episode focuses on the Texas power crisis during the 2020-21 winter. We'll first hear the firsthand account of a storm survivor Lauren Slusher who offered to assist the Austin Disaster Relief Network as a dispatcher to communicate with those in need more easily. Then, we'll hear from the two survivors that Lauren interviewed as part of a photo-audio project to bring awareness to the disasters of the Texas power crisis and how citizens had to help themselves. Previous episodes on this podcast have focused on ways to build up resilience, but this episode ties these ideas together when having to work urgently in order to save lives. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Here is Lauren Slusher's webpage discussing Austin, Texas in the winter storm of 2020-21 as well as highlighting firsthand stories of resilience from survivors. This is also Lauren's main webpage, so she has documented some of her other work on here: https://laurenslusher.com/blog/austin-in-the-winter-storm-stories-of-resilience/. Check out 'Sheila's Story' and Loretta's Story' for reference. </p> <p><br></p>
