This past week has been another juxtaposing of the struggles that fishing communities face today with the struggles of the Civil Rights era and beyond. From hearing the disappointing (yet expected) results of the trial of the murderers of Breonna Taylor, to the upcoming release of Jalil Muntaqim, a Black Panther who’s been imprisoned for over 49 years, we see systems that aren’t playing fair. Systems that weren’t designed to play fair in the first place. These same systems have made it acceptable for unleveled playing fields to persist across our society – including in fishing communities. Whether its the Army Corps of engineers suppressing fishing community voices for a proposed factory fish farm or a seafood system that invisibilizes the people who catch our fish, the systemic roots are connected. Yet in the face of these injustices, we see people resist, rise up, and build.
For all the darkness that is being brought to our attention, be sure to ground in the light that is the resistance that has been happening and will continue to happen until we win! And as a microcosm of that resistance, I want to highlight some recent actions and events coming up!