Stories from the Gulf

People instinctively respond to images and to personal stories that they can relate to. One of the biggest challenges in mobilizing a response to the BP oil spill has been the lack of ubiquitous and accessible images of people impacted the spill. As a recent interfaith op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel explained, “we rarely see images of the damage that will last even longer than the effects of oil on wildlife: communities teeming with people whose primary ‘feathers’ have also been clipped — steady income, physical and mental health, and food security. A bird drenched in oil conveys a clear message, but it is more difficult to capture the human aspect of the Gulf Coast oil spill.”

But the images and the stories are there, and our partners in the Gulf Coast are doing their best to capture them and use these images and video to send a clear message: the oil spill disaster is not over. That’s why we incorporated a Multimedia feature into After the Spill from the start, and why we consistently update the page with new material. The page features incredible video produced by the Bridge the Gulf project, the Gulf Restoration Network, and so many other Gulf Coast advocates and activists. (more…)

Gulf Slideshow from the United Church of Christ

On June 7, a group of seven people representing the United Church of Christ, Mennonite Disaster Services, Lutheran Disaster Response and Church World Service had the opportunity to travel to Grand Bayou, Venice and other areas along the lower Mississippi River affected by the oil spill. UCC participants included Florence Coppola and Alan Coe of UCC Disaster Ministries and Loey Powell of Justice and Witness Ministries. See what they saw in the Gulf.

Remembering Katrina: A Reflection

Leslie G. Woods serves as the Representative for Domestic Poverty & Environmental Issues in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C. Find resources to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in your community here. (more…)