Hurricane Harvey Relief is Being Provided by DIY Activists, Too

Meet Assata Dela Cruz and the Yellowhammer Alternative.

Just days after Hurricane Harvey passed through Houston, Texas, 28-year-old Assata Dela Cruz and her friends left their home state of Alabama, ready to deliver supplies and serve individually packed lunches to residents. Each bag contained a sandwich, chips, something sweet, and a bottle of water. On the side were salads and chopped-up produce. But within 15 minutes of opening her impromptu food kitchen, Assata ran out of food to serve. The demand for her lunches was overwhelming.

Assata showed up in Houston as a member of a new organization lead by women of color called The Yellowhammer Alternative, which aims to “provide marginalized groups with a far-left alternative to the systemically oppressive far-right ideology and practices.” Before Hurricane Harvey touched down on August 25, Assata and her group were organizing People’s Assemblies, town hall–style meetings for anybody interested in radical social change. They also served free dinners in public places and held community-defense trainings in Mobile, Alabama. In the past few weeks, Yellowhammer has taken its infrastructure and connections to service those affected by hurricanes.

“We live in the Gulf Coast, so pretty much every hurricane that has come through affected us. My partner and I both lost nearly everything to Katrina. We have never been able to help with relief work before; in the past, we were the ones begging people to come help us,” Assata tells Teen Vogue.

When she heard reports that people in Houston had not been rescued, she turned to her boyfriend with a worried look. He replied, “When do you want to leave?” The two arrived in Houston four days after the storm. While Assata spoke with Teen Vogue, her boyfriend stood …

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