The author writes that Hurricane Katrina forced organizing groups to stretch to their limits, but it also showcased their strengths as never before. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was a bewildering blur of activity for pretty much everyone on the Gulf Coast, and the grassroots organizing groups of the region were no exception. Organizers and members lost homes and were displaced by the thousands. Others took people into their homes and volunteered at the shelters. But it didn't take long for them to start doing what they do best -- organizing.