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Urban Waterways Symposium Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum Urban Waterways Symposium Saturday, March 28, 2015 Thurgood Marshall Academy Washington, DC 1 URBAN WATERWAYS SYMPOSIUM MISSION SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE The purpose of this symposium is to convene advocates working on the ground in local regions to exchange experiences, best practices, 9–9:45 a.m. and solutions as well as develop national links and networks focused Continental Breakfast & Check–In on environmental activism, urban waterways, and local communities. (Cafeteria) We are excited about the prospect of bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds and concerns including not-for-profit and 9:45–9:55 a.m. community leaders, scholars, and activists to provide information Welcoming Remarks and informed experience to benefit residents, researchers, and 10:00–11:15 a.m. decision-makers. Session 1a. Education & Practice The symposium’s collaborative convening partners are Turkey Creek (Room 207) Community Initiatives, Turkey Creek, MS; The City Project, Los 10:00–11:15 a.m. Angeles, CA; Parks and People Foundation, Baltimore, MD; Anacostia Watershed Society, Bladensburg, MD; 11th Street Bridge Project and Session 1b. Recreation & the Urban Waterways Federal Partnership, both in Washington, DC; Environmentalism (Room 209) and the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmen­ 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. tal Sciences (CAUSES) of the University of the District of Columbia. Session 2a. Models in Grassroots The Urban Waterways Project is a long-term research and educa­ Leadership (Room 209) tional initiative based upon research on the Anacostia River and its watershed as well as research examining how people engage with 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. urban rivers in other communities. Formerly the Eastern Branch, the Session 2b. Collaboration Anacostia River has long been considered one of the nation’s most Techniques (Room 207) troubled urban rivers. The watershed covers more than 175 square 1:00–2:15 p.m. miles and is one of the nation’s most densely populated. The challenges Keynote Address & Lunch facing the Anacostia River are problems that confront other rivers in (Cafeteria) the industrialized world. The project explores the impact of environmen­ tal burdens, resource depletion on urban communities, as well as the 2:30–3:45 p.m. interplay of environmental and social conditions. It also examines Session 3a. Waterfront approaches and solutions on national and international levels through Development (Room 209) the study of civic oversight, community engagement, and environmental efforts. The Urban Waterways Project has been undertaken by the Anacostia 2:30–3:45 p.m. Community Museum with our local and national partners. Session 3b. The project is particularly focused on working with communities on the front- Gentrification line and most affected by development and environmental impacts. The project & New Urbanism seeks to 1) create cross-disciplinary dialogue among scholars, government officials, (Room 207) organizers, activists, and scientists; 2) elicit first-hand information from residents 3:45 p.m. of local communities, and 3) engage with local residents and other interested Closing Remarks parties with ongoing activities that will enable their participation in reclamation, and Video Clips restoration, and appropriate redevelopment of their urban waterways and surround­ ing communities. Support for the project was made possible by the Smithsonian Consortium for Understanding the American Experience and the Consortium for Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet. 2 Selected Urban Waterways Project Efforts and Engagement Research and Documentation Onsite ACM project team members documented how local, traditionally marginalize Documentation community members are developing strategies to bring their voices to local decision making. Documentation was conducted in Southeast Washington and adjacent communities and East London in 2012; Los Angeles and Hawai’i in 2013; and Baltimore and Turkey Creek, Mississippi, in 2014. Photograph More than 1,000 photographs have recorded such Anacostia River activities as Documentation the installation of Bangalong Trash Trap, Rice Rangers activities, festivals, Anacostia Watershed Society river clean ups, rowing competitions, recreational uses of the river, and the shad release program. Survey of Attitudes In January 2012, with the help of three interns, the museum surveyed 289 members and Uses of the of three faith communities east of the river: East Washington Baptist Church, Our Lady Anacostia River of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, and Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ. Key Environmental Documentation of key environmental issues and sites in Washington DC’s Wards Issues and Sites in 7 and 8 was developed entitled Sites of Contention. Some key environmental issues Washington DC’s have included the Kenilworth Dump, Pepco plant, and the history of Kingman Island, Wards 7 and 8 Navy Yard, and other illegal dumps sites. Urban Waterways Over 40 Interview have been conducted of activist, stakeholder and decision makers Oral History Program documenting urban waterways issues in Washington DC; London; Louisville, Kentucky; Los Angles and Baltimore, Maryland. Network Development Urban Waterways More than 30 articles in the October 2013, May 2014, and February 2015 issues Newsletter covered the activities and strategies of our community partners in the Urban Waterways network. Articles highlighted collaboration between Latino organizers in Los Angeles and government agencies to improve the Los Angeles River; the environmental stewardship of Hawai’ian eighth graders at their school; efforts in Turkey Creek, Mississippi, to recover from Mississippi River pollution; and how communities are using art to engage citizens in protecting their watersheds. Community Forums Fifteen community forums with 75 presenters were held over the past four years. These events involved in-depth dialogue among environmental activists, agency leaders, federal and local government officials, and citizen stakeholders. Among the topics addressed were strategies for improving distressed waterways and waterfronts, including specific issues of civic concern and responsibility such as waste to energy, waterfront development, and green jobs. continues > 1 URBAN WATERWAYS SYMPOSIUM Selected Urban Waterways Project Efforts and Engagement CONTINUED Community Voice Through collaboration with American University School of Communication, 15 Project students partnered with seven local community members to produce River Stories, a series of seven videos. Education and Engagement Major Exhibition Based on research by the museum on the history, public use, and attitudes toward the Anacostia River and its watershed and reviews of urban waterway developments in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Louisville, London, and Shanghai, Reclaiming the Edge: Urban Waterways and Civic Engagement explored various issues regarding human interaction with natural resources in an urban setting. The exhibition looked at densely populated watersheds and rivers as barriers to racial and ethnic integra­ tion and examined civic attempts to recover, clean up, re-imagine, or engineer urban rivers for community access and use. Reclaiming the Edge featured 75 objects, 16 artworks, 170 images, and five video stations, with original materials produced for the exhibition. Highlights included artworks by Chinese artist Zhang Jian-Jun, Chicano artist Leo Limón, and renowned Anacostia River photographer Bruce McNeil. Independent filmmaker Peter Byck contributed a piece on Louisville’s Waterfront Development Corporation and the Waterfront Park. The exhibition was curated by Gail S. Lowe; John R. Wennersten PhD, professor emeritus of the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, served as consulting scholar. Citizen Science Program This out-of-school scientific inquiry based program for 140 middle and high school students is presented in partnership with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Prince George’s County Public Schools, and the United Planning Organization Youth Services Division. The community stewardship project involves collecting bio­ logical, chemical, and habitat data from five tributaries of the Anacostia River and developing a database. Future plans and student initiatives may include tracing and documenting possible pollution influences and developing solutions and recommendations. Public Programs Nearly 40 public workshops, films, fieldtrips, and in-school programming engaged participants in urban waterways issues. Highlights included a three-part photographic expedition on the Anacostia River with photographer Bruce McNeil; a day-long pro­ gram for teachers featuring a tour of the exhibition, visit to the Aquatic Resources Education Center, and a water testing project; a poetry program with Lewis MacAdams, founder of Friends of the Los Angeles River, and United Planning Organization’s youth group; watershed explorations and off-site tours; summer youth educational fieldtrips; and a STEAM-based workshop for teachers and stu­ dents on “Slick Fish Anatomy.” 2 URBAN WATERWAYS SYMPOSIUM In Memory of Dr. Gail Lowe The Anacostia Community Museum is sad to announce the passing of our beloved colleague and dear friend, Dr. Gail S. Lowe. Gail passed on January 27, 2015. At the time of her death she was the principal investigator and the brain behind the museum’s Urban Waterways Initiative where she worked tirelessly on research and documentation efforts, the development of a national symposium and a
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