Kriti Mehrotra
As an ABC special revisiting the most devastating tropical cyclone to hit the Gulf Coast in recent history, ‘Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm with Robin Roberts’ is very poignant. That’s because it not only addresses how economic inequalities likely played a role in terms of rescue as well as recovery efforts, but also dives into the trauma and the eventual resettlement of locals. However, arguably the most intriguing aspect is the exclusive interviews with those like Jeremy Tauriac, who were merely kids when the storm made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005.
Jeremy Tauriac Had to Grow Up Quickly After Hurricane Katrina
It was around 1994 when Jeremy Tauriac was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Tauriac family as one of three children, growing up surrounded by loved ones who really shaped who he is. Whether it be his parents, siblings, or extended relatives, they were crucial to his development, helping him inadvertently recognize early on that there is magic in people, stories, and community. Little did he know his normal would turn upside down in the late summer of 2005, as a category 5 hurricane would smash into his city, break levees, and cause a flood that left many stranded.
Jeremy was just an 11-year-old elementary school student at the time, but even he could comprehend that something terrible had transpired because of the chaos and water all around. His family ultimately managed to escape, yet what followed them was trauma as well as a sense of pure survival since they were now displaced from everything they knew, loved, or cared about. According to his own accounts, they returned after roughly a year because they knew they couldn’t bear to be away from the vibrant essence of their hometown, only to realize it wasn’t the same.
Jeremy was admittedly over the moon about coming back, too, but he hadn’t considered that the water could have – and had – destroyed many things his memories were connected to. “It smelled different,” he added in the aforementioned original. “It smelled like floodwater. It smelled like death. The sensory overload… is something that also gets compartmentalized being a child.” The load of all this “forced” him to grow up both emotionally and mentally while he was still a tween, and it was to such an extent that he is still unpacking a lot of aspects from 2 decades ago.
Jeremy Tauriac Turned to Art for Solace and Found His Passion
While Jeremy garnered an unusual perspective from the things he experienced and witnessed 2 decades ago, a lot of it essentially stemmed from feelings of anger, fear, and trauma. After all, it was hard for him to even think about what his life would be like moving forward when he first returned to his hometown, making him question doing anything but helping the community rebuild. Even going to school, studying, or engaging in similar activities allegedly seemed a little superfluous to him. Yet, he eventually found true belonging, comfort, and peace in the world of art. Art actually became Jeremy’s escape since it allowed him to express himself in any way he wanted without external pressure, leading him to soon discover and fall in love with photography.
Jeremy’s passion ran so deep that after he graduated from Warren Easton Charter High School, he made significant efforts to evolve into a professional photographer while remaining in New Orleans. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the now 31-year-old continues to be a proud resident of the Louisiana city he has always called home, where he serves as the Founder/CEO of Tauriac Photo LLC. Jeremy actually specializes in portraits as well as weddings, believing to this day that everyone has magic in them and that their emotions or stories can be captured in images, if done right. Thus, he devotes his life to “making physical timestamps” portraying such moments before sharing them with the world in the hopes it inspires people to always be their authentic selves.
The photographer had some of his work featured in the Gestures of Refusal: Black Photography and Visual Culture Exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center in 2024. Moreover, his images are currently the focus of the Yes Mama! Portrait Exhibition, which is an immersive event at Merchant Hall that showcases the significance of mothers in the community. The funds generated will be directed to Yes Mama Fund, which aims to support and promote maternal health care in New Orleans. Jeremy took his best portraits in this exhibit and is often even present for intimate conversations to elaborate on his journey as a photographer. A loving grandson, son, brother, cousin, uncle, dog dad, and friend, Jeremy considers his loved ones a priority and never misses a chance to spend quality time with them.
Read More: Jasmine Batiste: Where is the Hurricane Katrina Survivor Now?
