Mack and Hazel Shorter pose for a portrait in the home that once belonged to Hazel’s mother in Rolling Fork, Mississippi on July 27, 2019. The Shorters were forced to evacuate their home in Fitler, Mississippi due to the flood. “The only thing I can do is pray and ask the Lord to give me strength,” said Hazel. “Basically, we feel forgotten. A lot of people don’t realize that our lives have changed forever. When you have to uproot and move, it’s almost like starting life all over again. For the people who haven’t followed what’s happened here, I want them to know what this part of the world looks like — and how many people are suffering in the South. They need to see how the other half lives. Each year, it seems like the water is getting worse and worse. What’s going to happen in the next 5-10 years?” (Photo by Rory Doyle)
Carmen Hancock (left to right), James Hancock and Rodney Porter boat down a flooded road near their homes in Valley Park, Mississippi on July 16, 2019. They’ve spent the past five months helping their elderly neighbors survive in their homes surrounded by floodwater. “We’re living by the good Lord to do what’s right,” said James. “There’s a number of older people living in this neighborhood, and It’s just the right thing to do. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. That’s what I live by. You do what has to be done.” (Photo by Rory Doyle)
Stormy Deere boats outside her home in Warren County, Mississippi on July 16, 2019. Deere’s home was built high enough that it didn’t succumb to the floodwater, but she did have to boat in and out of her property beginning in March. “The isolation is tough,” said Deere. “It’s such a pain having to boat where I use to drive. The emotional effect is awful. You think you’ll see the light of day when the water drops a little, and then it pops right back up again. It’s really hard. This isn’t fair — just because we have a lower population, and we have a lower income per household, we still matter. We should be treated equally.” (Photo by Rory Doyle)