December 17, 2008

Swinhomish teens transform their community

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

I read a really interesting article today in ColorsNW about a group of teens living on the Swinomish Reservation who have made a documentary film about how two oil refineries, located on a privately owned tract of land in the middle of the reservation, have impacted the environmental health of their community.

The young men, still in high school, created the film March Point to raise awareness about environmental and tribal issues. They were supported by a non-profit called Longhouse Media, whose Native Lens program brings digital media training to Native youth in rural and urban settings. Tracy Rector, the co-founder of Longhouse Media, sums up the reasons for making March Point: “We hope this film will give the audience a window into the unique beauty of the Coast Salish people and their way of life. Also, it is our desire that March Point will bring awareness to the issues of environmental racism and the resulting disparity of big corporations on tribal lands and near people of color.”

Watch the trailer for March Point and support this great film:

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