Mid-October Update

Did you see the story: The Mystery of What’s Killing Sea Lions in California? It’s a shocking story about careless toxic waste disposal, the long-term impact of using the ocean as a dump site, and the valuable work of many to uncover the mystery of why animals that rarely get cancer were showing up sick with the disease. The story also calls attention to the work of the marine mammal rescue facility that unraveled the mystery. Consider donating to our featured charity the Marine Mammal Center. A companion story on this topic was published by the international conservation news site earth.org.

Two new artivists were featured since the end of September newsletter: Janavi Kramer and Ivy Frignoca. Janavi Kramer, is a mixed media/watercolor artist with a passion for marine animals. She is committed to making a positive impact. Some of the proceeds from sales of her art go to charities like Manta Trust. Ivy Frignoca is not an artivist but she does oversee a citizen science program for volunteers who are themselves artivists. The volunteers use their smartphones to take photographs that document changes such as pollution and sea level rise.

Coming soon are interviews with Paulita Bennett-Martin, Elle Wisibono, and Cheryl Massey. Paulita currently works for the ocean policy and conservation non-profit Oceana. She serves on the board of Arts Southeast and is founder of Whale Week Savannah. Paulita discusses the power of storytelling. Elle Wibisono is a deep water fisheries expert who currently serves as a marine policy fellow in the U.S. Senate. Elle is an artist and soon to be author/illustrator of a children’s book based on her dissertation. Cheryl Massey is a basket maker who uses seaweed she collects along the coastline of British Columbia. This lineup demonstrates Women Mind the Water’s expanding international presence. These women have roots in Belize, Indonesia, and Canada.

Stay tuned for our social media takeover with The Marine Diaries. Also soon will be the unveiling of a new marine animal print, one that is inspired by the California sea lion story. So keep checking our website for new podcasts, new stories, and much more.

If you have an ocean-related question or story suggestion, please email womenmindthewater@comcast.net .

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