318 Olympic sized swimming pools of oil spread over 15,000-football fields worth of coastline – that’s the scale and scope of the 2010 BP oil disaster. As you probably know, Gulf Restoration Network has continued to conduct monitoring work in its aftermath. What you might not know is that GRN also continues to organize all along the Gulf Coast in partnership with communities, citizens, and non-profit organizations in addressing the oil disaster to restore our Gulf.The Gulf Future Coalition is adiverse groupof over 50 organizations representing fishermen, faith leaders, environmentalists, cleanup workers, tribal members and community residents who live, work, and play on the Gulf Coast. In February and March of 2014,we are hostinga series ofGulf FutureSalons,featuringdocumentary film, participatory theater, digital storytelling, interactive workshops andcollective visionmural makingin each Gulf Coast state. Come springtime, wewill gather as an entire region to strategize aroundthe resulting communitytapestry.We need your help to make the Gulf FutureSalonsa reality.We have launched a crowd-funding campaign to pay for venue rental, food, transportation and lodging for our traveling facilitators and actors participating in this series of events. Please support usin elevating the voice and vision of the most impacted frontline Gulf Coast communities, through creativity andculture, in the face of this unprecedented ecological disaster.This holiday season, please help usgive the Gulf a future. http://www.crowdrise.com/givethegulfafutureThe Gulf Future Salons are a collaboration of…GulfRestoration Network,Cry You One[ArtSpot ProductionsandMondo Bizarro],Can’t Stop The Water[Cottage Films],Isle de Jean Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw,Come Hell or High Water[Leah Mahan Productions/Reel Power],Turkey Creek Community Initiative,Bridge The Gulf Project,Steps Coalition…along with over50 moreorganizations that comprisethe Gulf Future Coalition.Jayeesha Dutta is the Gulf Future Coordinator.
