By Rona Kobell

This weekend, Donzell and Rona are presenting at the Watershed Forum in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This forum is one of the best events of the year for Chesapeake Bay scientists, conservationists, and local government officials. In part because of its location at the National Conservation Training Center, it draws interest from the headwater states. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay organizes the event. It is a great place to network, find story ideas, and reconnect with old friends. 

Our presentation centers on our work in two communities: Deal Island and Baltimore City. One gives a conventional picture of environmental justice issues: Highways dividing and destroying Black communities, incinerators polluting air, unequal access to forests and nature. The other is more about protecting culture and holding on to community assets in a place where history is washing away quickly. Both are environmental justice issues.

EJJI has made a short film on the Highway to Nowhere, directed by Sean Yoes. We are making a longer one on Deal Island and its Black communities. Longtime photographer and filmmaker Andre Chung is directing that with Yoes; Rona is working on it as a producer.

We founded EJJI to help communities tell these stories, and we’re excited to share our efforts at the forum. Stop by if you’ll be there and say hello.