EJJI Presents at the Watershed Forum This Weekend

Rona Kobell • December 19, 2022

EJJI Presents at the Watershed Forum This Weekend

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.

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Reel Rewards Returns for 2026 Season with New Bounty Tiers

By Laura Quigley • March 24, 2026

Baltimore, MD – The Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative (EJJI) is excited to announce the return of Reel Rewards , a community-powered program that promotes sustainable fishing practices and helps control invasive species in the Baltimore Harbor. The 2026 season will run from April 25 to July 18, 2026 , and brings with it updated bounty tiers and continued opportunities for community engagement and environmental impact. This season, Reel Rewards features bounty tiers that support local anglers while providing gut content data that can be used by scientists and environmental managers. Participants are encouraged to catch invasive species like Northern Snakehead, Blue Catfish, and Flathead Catfish within the program boundaries, and bring the fish to designated drop-off locations on specific days. In return, fishers receive $10 for each fish head turned in, $10 for logging a picture of what’s inside the fish’s stomach, and $10 for each cleaned fish filet per fish to be re-used as bait. Reel Rewards is hosted by EJJI, funded by South Baltimore Gateway Partnership and the Maryland Whole Watershed Program , and in partnership with Reimagine Middle Branch and the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland . This unique collaboration brings together community voices, environmental researchers, and conservation advocates to tackle real ecological issues while uplifting Baltimore’s fishing communities. Registration is now open at: https://www.ianglertournament.com/ejji-reel-rewards-2026 For updates, official drop-off days and locations, and more details about participating, visit: https://www.ejji.org/reel-rewards . If you are with a community group or organization who would like to plan a joint event or educational engagement, contact EJJI at: veronica@ejji.org About EJJI The Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative (EJJI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental justice and community empowerment. Through storytelling, collaborative outreach, and hands-on programming, EJJI connects Baltimore communities with the researchers, policymakers, and advocates working on environmental justice issues in their neighborhoods. Contact: Veronica Malabanan Lucchese Environmental Science Program Manager, EJJI veronica@ejji.org ###