As Hurricane Laura bore down on the United States, residents from Texas to the Florida Panhandle braced for one of the strongest storms to hit the region in several years. With maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, Laura's storm surge—the rise in sea level that sometimes precedes cyclones—reached as high as 15 feet on land, inundating coastal communities of Louisiana, including Cameron Parish.1 When the category 4 hurricane finally departed, those communities faced a staggering loss that would require the concerted efforts of individuals, local organizations, and governmental authorities. For most Americans—whether affected by the devastation firsthand or observing from afar—Laura’s catastrophic results demanded some sort of explanation or attribution of accountability.