On Thursday, Louisiana’s Angela Chalk was one of only a small handful of individuals from across the United States who gave their testimonies to the United States House of Representatives for the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. Angela spoke to her experience as a Louisianan, what the impacts of climate change and coastal land loss mean to her, and what it should mean to the rest of the country as well.
“As I was preparing for this testimony, I thought of my first encounter with the river. It began with my maternal aunt teaching me how to spell Mississippi. Later I would learn of the river’s importance. It is the source of our drinking water. The river provided high paying jobs for African American longshoremen, who received cargo for import and export. It’s used by river pilots who navigate these waters daily to provide goods and services for our nation. The safety and natural environment are so very vital to our economy that, if there is any reason for river traffic to stop, our nation’s economy stops. In essence, I was taught that the river was, and remains today, the source of life. And “life” included our culture and heritage, economics and connectivity.”
We are proud and honored to have been a part of Angela’s journey to D.C., and we look forward to seeing what’s to come!
Angela also participated in LASAFE and is one of our LEAD The Coast Steering Committee Members. The program will relaunch this year, so stay tuned and consider subscribing to our newsletter.
Read Angela’s full verbal and written testimonies here: Angela Chalk Testimony:
Watch the full video, including a Q&A on Youtube HERE.