Blacks, whites build bridges after Katrina

As the man stepped off the airplane and looked out at the sea of faces gathered to welcome the survivors of Hurricane Katrina to Utah, he had only one comment: "It sure is white here."

The remark, made to a Utah Air National Guardsman, indicates the vast difference between Utah and Louisiana, the home state for nearly all of the 600 displaced residents who came to Utah seeking refuge from the storm's aftermath.

Ninety percent of Utah's 2.4 million residents are white, compared to 64 percent of Louisiana's population of 4.4 million.

Narrowed down even further, the numbers are much more striking: 67 percent of New Orleans residents are black, while only 1.9 percent of Salt Lake City's population is, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

And as the evacuees here move forward, starting their lives anew after losing everything to Katrina, it's inevitable that many will choose to stay in Utah. In fact, state officials, including Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., estimate that as many as one half could put down roots here. Which raises the question: What kind of cultural impact will the new residents have on the state?

"I think it means that Utah is going to be more culturally diverse, and I think we're going to be able to raise our level of understanding and acceptance of all people," said Michael Styles, director of the state's Office of Black Affairs.

"It's not a black thing, it's not a white thing. It's just how we connect to people in need and show love to everybody," he said. "The evacuees have already felt that. They're so appreciative of all the Utahns. We've seen bridges built between black and white that I've just been amazed at, and it's gratifying. It's truly gratifying."

The tragedy of Katrina has allowed Utahns to interact differently with the evacuees, who are overwhelmingly African-American, than they would have in other circumstances, psychologist Lauren Weitzman says.

"It feels like it breaks down a barrier that is often there in everyday life around prejudice. We're having the opportunity to see folks as fellow human beings to whom we're reaching out in a time of need," said Weitzman, director of the University of Utah counseling center.

Utah residents flooded a hurricane relief hotline set up by the state following the announcement that Utah would welcome up to 2,000 evacuees. Callers offered money and goods, and many extended an invitation for evacuees to stay in their homes.