--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al…" description: "\"Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al., covering Hurricane Ivan, we heard the stories of poor people, many of them black stranded downtown because they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png" --- # Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al., covering Hurricane… ![“Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al., covering Hurricane Ivan, we heard the stories of poor people, many of them black stranded downtown because they had no way out.” quote by Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png) > “Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al., covering Hurricane Ivan, we heard the stories of poor people, many of them black stranded downtown because they had no way out.” [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how natural disasters disproportionately affect marginalized, low‑income communities, leaving them trapped without resources. **In simple terms:** Disasters hit the poor hardest, leaving them stuck. Key Takeaway Recognize and address inequities in disaster response. Themes inequality disaster response social justice Mood empathetic urgent Type observational humanitarian When to use this quote - humanitarian aid - community outreach - policy reform - infrastructure investment Key Concepts systemic poverty urban vulnerability emergency planning Questions to Reflect On - How can we empower affected communities before a disaster? - What policies best reduce vulnerability? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook individual agency and community resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hurricane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurricane/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think of people as out-and-out black or white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabu/i-don-t-think-of-people-as-out-and-out-black-or-white/) [Tabu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabu/) > [I think we must never, ever demonize one another. That's true not just black people to black people; that's human being to human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-we-must-never-ever-demonize-one-another-that-s-true-not-just/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Certain people and groups seem invested in convincing black people that black people are liberal. We've traditionally been conservative, church-going people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/certain-people-and-groups-seem-invested-in-convincing-black-people/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [The United States is not a nation of black and white people. Any fool can see that white people are not really white, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-murray/the-united-states-is-not-a-nation-of-black-and-white-people-any-fool/) [Albert Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-murray/) > [“We aren't so called black people. We are black people. Be black and proud!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-nana-adu-boafo-jnr/we-aren-t-so-called-black-people-we-are-black-people-be-black-and/) Dr.Nana Adu-Boafo Jnr > [The only thing that white people have that black people need, or should want, is power-and no one holds power forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-only-thing-that-white-people-have-that-black-people-need-or/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [“All those people in their black-and-white worlds - they have no idea what they're missing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mass/all-those-people-in-their-black-and-white-worlds-they-have-no-idea/) [Wendy Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mass/) > [It only takes five people in black robes to determine such crucial issues for our country as abortion, pornography, same-sex 'marriage,' and religious liberties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-land/it-only-takes-five-people-in-black-robes-to-determine-such-crucial/) [Richard Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-land/) > [There's a long history of saying certain people shouldn't be voting. And, unfortunately, the people who are often left out of these conversations are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-lamont-hill/there-s-a-long-history-of-saying-certain-people-shouldn-t-be-voting/) [Marc Lamont Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-lamont-hill/) > [Color don't tell if people Black. It's the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/color-don-t-tell-if-people-black-it-s-the-soul/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [If all we are for is black people and white people who like black people, then I have nothing to say to Trump who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-all-we-are-for-is-black-people-and-white-people-who-like-black/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I spent seven months in Africa and came back saying there isn't anything you can say about black people that you couldn't say about,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-rivers/i-spent-seven-months-in-africa-and-came-back-saying-there-isn-t/) [Larry Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-rivers/) > [Im happy to be black. I am what I am, Im doing very well in my life, and Im thankful to God for that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/im-happy-to-be-black-i-am-what-i-am-im-doing-very-well-in-my-life-and/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [I've heard that Black people and Black faces don't sell magazines, but one day you're going to beg me to be on there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-heard-that-black-people-and-black-faces-don-t-sell-magazines-but/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I grew up in a world where the majority of people were black, so that wasn't the defining quality of anyone. When you're describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-grew-up-in-a-world-where-the-majority-of-people-were-black-so-that/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) ## More by Al Roker > [When I was in Greenough, Montana, I came across a bear cub. I was off this path, and I thought, If there's a bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/when-i-was-in-greenough-montana-i-came-across-a-bear-cub-i-was-off/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [Because you're fat, you feel that everybody's watching every bite you take. So, you closet-eat, and you think because nobody sees you eating, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/because-you-re-fat-you-feel-that-everybody-s-watching-every-bite-you/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [There is no quick fix. At the end of the day, you still have to do the work to maintain your weight. It can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/there-is-no-quick-fix-at-the-end-of-the-day-you-still-have-to-do-the/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [If somehow every volunteer vanished tomorrow, so much of this country would come to a standstill: schools, hospitals and libraries. You can't name an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/if-somehow-every-volunteer-vanished-tomorrow-so-much-of-this-country/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [I would say that children are more resilient than you realize, and that as long as you love them, there is no right way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/i-would-say-that-children-are-more-resilient-than-you-realize-and/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [I don't consider myself a food person. I'm no Bobby Flay. I'm no Emeril or Paula Deen, and I'm certainly not Rachael Ray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-food-person-i-m-no-bobby-flay-i-m-no-emeril/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [I just started running as part of a nutrition program, to just get a little cardio in, but I was not a runner per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/i-just-started-running-as-part-of-a-nutrition-program-to-just-get-a/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [When Courtney's mother and I first separated I tried to be Disney Dad, showering her with gifts, trips and then I snapped out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/when-courtney-s-mother-and-i-first-separated-i-tried-to-be-disney-dad/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [We already had an adopted daughter, 10-year-old Courtney, from my previous marriage. To me, there is no difference between 'natural' and 'adopted.' My own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/we-already-had-an-adopted-daughter-10-year-old-courtney-from-my/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [In the pregnancy process I have come to realize how much of the burden is on the female partner. She's got a construction zone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/in-the-pregnancy-process-i-have-come-to-realize-how-much-of-the/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [A massive state and federal effort, the likes of which we've never seen is going to be needed. We can do it for tsunami…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/a-massive-state-and-federal-effort-the-likes-of-which-we-ve-never/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [You can't go wrong with relatively simple comfort food. It's also about ease. Some cook to impress. I cook for people to enjoy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/you-can-t-go-wrong-with-relatively-simple-comfort-food-it-s-also/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [I love cooking for myself and cooking for my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/i-love-cooking-for-myself-and-cooking-for-my-family/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [When it comes to dieting, I'm the kind of person that likes to be told what to do. I don't like to count points,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/when-it-comes-to-dieting-i-m-the-kind-of-person-that-likes-to-be-told/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [People who would never think of dealing in racial or sexual stereotypes will still throw in a fat joke because it's still OK. Really?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/people-who-would-never-think-of-dealing-in-racial-or-sexual/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) [Explore all 52 Al Roker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) ## More Al quotes > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [If the practice is torture for the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the killing of three thousand Americans, why weren't there court-martials in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-a-rodriguez-jr/if-the-practice-is-torture-for-the-al-qaeda-operative-who/) [Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-a-rodriguez-jr/) > [Searches of al Qaeda sites in Afghanistan, undertaken since American-backed forces took control there, are not known to have turned up a significant cache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/searches-of-al-qaeda-sites-in-afghanistan-undertaken-since-american/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Nobody had race savvy like Al Unser in his prime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/nobody-had-race-savvy-like-al-unser-in-his-prime/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [There are many causes of violent deaths in America - murders and traffic accidents - that we do not approach with the same 'no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/there-are-many-causes-of-violent-deaths-in-america-murders-and/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [If you want to join the Republican party, they have to let you in. There's nothing they can do about it. I mean, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/if-you-want-to-join-the-republican-party-they-have-to-let-you-in/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Brian came back in on the road and Al stayed, but Al's the original member of the group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/brian-came-back-in-on-the-road-and-al-stayed-but-al-s-the-original/) [Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/) > [News is the backbone of our network; the main commodity and the main successes of Al Jazeera came out of our involvement in covering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/news-is-the-backbone-of-our-network-the-main-commodity-and-the-main/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [And beyond that, the next issue is how do we guarantee one of these weapons, not necessarily this missile, but nuclear weapons ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/and-beyond-that-the-next-issue-is-how-do-we-guarantee-one-of-these/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [I started, actually, as an analyst on African affairs, mainly on Al Jazeera. I remember the first few series were about Saudi students, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/i-started-actually-as-an-analyst-on-african-affairs-mainly-on-al/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/that-is-because-the-conflict-with-al-qaeda-is-not-governed-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [Bin Laden is dead, and most of his friends are dead. But did it need to cost a trillion dollars and two land wars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/bin-laden-is-dead-and-most-of-his-friends-are-dead-but-did-it-need-to/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Success means eliminating Al Qaeda's ability to launch terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/success-means-eliminating-al-qaeda-s-ability-to-launch-terrorist/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) Browse all 218 Al quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al., covering Hurricane Ivan, we heard the stories of poor people, many of them black stranded downtown because they had no way out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Roker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-covering-hurricane-ivan-we-heard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Al" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-covering-hurricane-ivan-we-heard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/al-roker-12866_al_last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-cove_395248.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Last year, when we were in Mobile, Al., covering Hurricane Ivan, we heard the stories of poor people, many…” — Al Roker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Roker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Last year, when we were in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-covering-hurricane-ivan-we-heard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/last-year-when-we-were-in-mobile-al-covering-hurricane-ivan-we-heard/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```