Climate change activist walks across Florida, endures multiple arrests and a scorching summer
Nick Vazquez in downtown Tampa holding protest signJustin Garcia. When he began his 800 mile walk to bring attention to climate change, Nick Vazquez never thought that he’d be in the back of a Tampa Police Department squad car, pulling up to a mental health institution.
Read full storyMeet the group that protects endangered sea turtles on St. Pete Beach
"Turtle Joe" Widlansky just got a call about sea turtle tracks to the south of St. Pete Beach. That’s good news for Joe and the crew at Sea Turtle Trackers. It’s been a slow nesting season for the endangered turtles, and finding even one nest would be cause for celebration.
Read full storyUSF shares ideas for development of forest preserve, activists push back
USF Forest PreserveSave USF Forest Preserve/Luke Myers. The University of South Florida has received several ideas in response to its inquiry about development of USF Forest Preserve (USFFP) land. Indigenous and environmental activists are pushing back.
Read full storyTwo Palestinian solidarity rallies to be held in Tampa this weekend
Save Sheik Jarrah Protest FlyerSave Sheik Jarrah Protest/Facebook. Lara Abu Ghannam gets overwhelmed by emotions when she talks about the crisis in her mother country of Palestine.
Read full storyActivists to hold memorial for Wounded Knee Massacre at St. Petersburg City Hall
Aftermath of the Wounded Knee MassacreWikimedia Commons. Saturday, May 8th, marks the 47th anniversary of the American Indian Movement’s 71 day occupation at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre. In honor of the day, Tampa Bay activists plan to recognize the history of Wounded Knee with an event in St. Petersburg.
Read full storyAt Joe’s Gardens, children plant seeds for a sustainable future
The children at Joe’s Gardens are weaving between each other with an organized chaos, harvesting vegetables to bring home to their families. A kid takes a bite out of a small tomato, screams, “I don’t like it!”, and tosses the rest over the fence. Another picks a raw onion out of the ground and shares a bite with a friend. One of them shouts, “Why does it taste like that?!” and they both spit out the remains on the ground. Another eats a hot pepper as his friend stares in wide eyed disbelief, then wages a dare to eat another one.
Read full storyNative Americans and allies gather to honor and protect the Earth in Tampa
“Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.”. In Native American culture, the shape of the circle represents the sun, moon, the Earth and the interconnectedness of all beings. From humans, to winged and legged creatures, to the dirt and the water, the circle shows how everything that exists relies on everything else.
Read full storyUSF preserve development could put over 20 endangered plant and animal species at risk
Developing preserve land in Tampa could put a vast array of plants and wildlife at risk, including endangered species, experts say. Thousands of plant and animal species call University of South Florida’s Forest Preserve (USFFP) home, of which at least 20 are federal or state listed threatened or endangered species. According to researchers at USF, the endangered and threatened animals include: the gopher tortoise, indigo snake, fox squirrel, Florida mouse, short-tailed snake, tricolored heron, woodstork, roseate spoonbill, limpkin and the sandhill crane.
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