The morning of November 18 brings a sad parting for the Hendricks family as Alesha, 17, prepares to leave her mother and stepfather's apartment in Texas for Alabama, where her boyfriend's family has relocated.

Her mother, Hilda, and stepfather, Michael, plan to go back to New Orleans as soon as possible. Though she doesn't want Alesha to leave, Hilda recognizes that her daughter needs a stable place to go to school, without the fear of being uprooted again.

"I can't hold her back," Hilda says.

(by Joseph Rodriguez, from Still Here: Stories After Katrina, powerHouse Books)

Check out the excerpted collection of photos here.

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