On this day in 2021,
Winter Storm Uri began rolling into Texas, leaving millions without electricity — and some without water service — across the state. The state's final report estimates that
246 people died as a result of the storm, with roughly two-thirds of those deaths the result of hypothermia. Similar to recent hurricanes, the natural disaster revealed existing inequalities as people living in poverty struggled to stay warm. Commemorate this date as a reminder of the urgency to ensure racial justice grounds infrastructure debates and climate resilience planning. Cite the values of community and opportunity.