“The world must know what they [BP] have done to this community. This place could have been a paradise.” Those are the words of Byron Encalade, president of Louisiana Oystermen’s Association and the face of a beautiful and devastating new documentary film, Vanishing Pearls.
I caught up with Kimberly McCuiston, David Underhill, Patricia Hall and Michele Walker-Harmon of the Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition (MEJAC) during the regional Gulf Gathering, which was held in Fairhope, Alabama, April 13th through 15th.
According to their Facebook page, “MEJAC is a coalition of Mobile Bay residents and groups confronting new and longstanding environmental justice issues to cease toxic industrial pollution.”
“Environmentalists aren’t born, they’re made – by necessity and circumstance.” - Derrick Evans in Come Hell or High Water - The Battle for Turkey Creek. As the Earth Week events at USM-Gulf Coast came to an end, these words still rang in my head.
On March 30, 2014, journalist Brentin Mock moderated a discussion about Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek with Leslie Fields (Sierra Club director of Environmental Justice and Community Partnerships), Reilly Morse (director of Mississippi Center for Justice), Derrick Evans (of Turkey Creek, Mississippi and co-founder of Bridge The Gulf) and me, Leah Mahan, (Director and Producer of Come Hell or High Water, and co-founder of Bridge The Gulf). The discussion followed the D.C.
A few months ago there was an explosion of train tank cars of crude oil in Canada. One exploding tank car ignited another, then another, then another, etc. Final results were half a town wiped out and dozens of people killed or injured. The blast area of that explosion was estimated to have a 5 mile radius. If you allow a "storage tank city" to be built close to a community, you are asking for trouble.
The Academy celebrated Les Miserables stars Hugh Jackman (nominated for his role of Jean Valjean) and Anne Hathaway (winner of Best Supporting Actress for playing Fantine) last night for their depictions of a Formerly Incarcerated Person and a sex worker.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - Local literary nonprofit Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say is organizing The Librotraficantes Banned Book Caravan from Houston, Texas to Tucson, Arizona leaving Houston on Monday, March 12 and culminating in Tucson, Arizona Saturday, March 17.
A citizen of the United Houma Nation writes about the tribe’s history, and its ongoing struggle to be officially recognized by the United States government. By Adam Crepelle.
Crossposted from the Southwest Workers Union
The Academy celebrated Les Miserables stars Hugh Jackman (nominated for his role of Jean Valjean) and Anne Hathaway (winner of Best Supporting Actress for playing Fantine) last night for their depictions of a Formerly Incarcerated Person and a sex worker.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - Local literary nonprofit Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say is organizing 
A citizen of the United Houma Nation writes about the tribe’s history, and its ongoing struggle to be officially recognized by the United States government. By Adam Crepelle. 
