Co-presented with The Uproot Project & Grist
This shorts program shares profiles and perspectives of individuals, communities, and regions with human-induced environmental changes and inequity. Through their leadership, creative responses, and vocal advocacy for nature and people, featured agents of change are making big impacts in environmental justice and conservation issues.
Followed by a conversation with Jon Bowermaster (Director-Coral Gardens); Mark Iverson (Producer - Toxic Art); Rob Cahill (subject, 4DWN). Moderated by Maggie Dewane (Defenders of Wildlife).
JOJO celebrates a musical portrait of JoJo Nyaribo, a young nature enthusiast and wildlife advocate, as he explores the world of the Western Toad and its numerous threats. This story beautifully intertwines Jojo's love for nature with his quest to create awareness of a devastating fungus that is decimating amphibians worldwide. Through small, actionable steps such as cleaning his shoes and educating loved ones, Jojo discovers his role in decreasing the fungus's spread.
To support increasing the odds for amphibians in the face of a long-term pandemic, visit https://arcprotects.org/increasing-the-odds-for-amphibians-in-the-face-of-a-long-term-pandemic/
4DWN tells the unconventional and deeply personal story of a South Dallas skatepark whose mission is to change the lives of everyone who walks through the gate. The 4DWN skatepark is a resilience hub rooted in skate culture, tackling the challenges of food insecurity and social justice in one of the city’s poorest communities.
4DWN is at once punk, irreverent, and authentic. But it’s also organic, nurturing, and profound. The magic of this skatepark-turned-urban farm is brought to life through a beautiful, intimate mixed-media approach that pays homage to the canon of skate films that came before it. 4DWN chronicles the past and present lives of the Park’s founders and one budding young skateboarder who finds kinship, camaraderie, and a reason to keep pushing.
To support 4DAWN visit https://donorbox.org/4dwn-documentary.
Funds raised will go towards programs that 4DWN offers free to the community. All donations will be matched by Dickies.
Burning Injustice is a powerful short documentary that follows the inspiring journey of Latino activists, John Mataka and Bianca Lopez, as they lead a fight against one of the last trash incinerators in California. Set in California's Central Valley, the film exposes the devastating health consequences of pollution and highlights their tireless efforts to close the facility for good. Through their unwavering determination, they call for environmental justice and a safer future for their community.
Acid mine drainage is a pervasive problem in American Appalachia, poisoning streams and killing wildlife. The technology and funding to remove these pollutants and bring life back to streams just didn't exist, that is until fine art painter and professor John Sabraw rallied a team to address the issue in their local stream and developed a breakthrough process to upcycle pollutants into paint pigments. It's amazing what humans are capable of when their actions are relentlessly committed, creative and cooperative.
Learn more and support True Pigments at https://ruralaction.org/truepigments/
Steven Fuller is a winter caretaker who has lived at Yellowstone National Park for the past 50 years. As the cold weather approaches and the seasonal transformation begins, he hunkers down in his remote mountain cabin. But Fuller and Yellowstone face an uncertain future, with the climate crisis threatening to forever change one of North America’s last great wildernesses.
Follow a novel experiment in the Maldives to regrow coral reefs, which offer protection, food and income. "If we continue business as usual, 90 percent of the reef will be challenged and disappear by 2030," says former President Mohamed Nasheed. "We are witnessing not just the death of an eco-system, but the death of a nation."
“Their Pollution, Our Solution” is an environmental justice (EJ) anthem created by KXNG Crooked and Moving Forward Network (MFN) member Dr. Bruce Strouble. This song focuses on the need to protect communities most burdened by the cumulative impacts caused by the freight transportation system. We must take action and center the voices of EJ communities impacted with a clear goal to eliminate pollution across the freight system.
This song features the voices and illustrations of KXNG Crooked and MFN members: mark! Lopez (East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice), Dr. Bruce Strouble (Citizens for a Sustainable Future), Kim Gaddy (South Ward Environmental Alliance & Clean Water Action), Tolani Taylor (Clean Water Action), Brenda Soto (People's Collective for Environmental Justice), Rayan Makarem (CleanAirNow), and Dr. Mildred McClain (Harambee House/Citizens for Environmental Justice). This song features a speech by mark! Lopez at the Goldman Environmental Prize Award Ceremony.
The voices from environmental justice communities and frontline workers must not only be included – but centered – as we turn towards new solutions for a zero emission future. MFN and its members are deeply committed to advancing environmental justice, equity, economic justice, and a just transition to zero emissions. MFN demands environmental justice and equity across the freight sector for frontline and fenceline communities. Sign up for MFN's zero emission in freight campaign today: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/zef-moving-forward