FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Historic route once heavily populated by indigenous and non-indigenous families; walk seeks to educate and uphold agreements made during creation of the Big Cypress Preserve

Ochopee, FL – November 22, 2019 – Betty Osceola and Rev. Houston R. Cypress are two well-known Everglades educators / conservationists. They are now leading the charge to protect the Big Cypress National Preserve and the rights of the indigenous and non-indigenous families who live among it, organizing a prayer walk along the historic Loop Road (50940 Loop Road, Ochopee, FL 34141), which sits just off the Tamiami Trail, closer to the west side of the trans-Everglades part US Highway 41. The walk commences on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at 8 a.m. and will last through the evening of Sunday, December 8, 2019.

“Even though the federal government, thru the Army Corps of Engineers, has abandoned this WERP project, the potential for a federal land grab is still a part of any future restoration actions even if the WERP projects are picked up by the State of Florida,” says Cypress, co-founder of the Love The Everglades Movement. “It’s also an environmental travesty that the federal government would walk away from an important Everglades Restoration project without clarifying serious land concerns.”

In addition to prayer, the goals are to educate and call attention to the plight of indigenous families and non-indigenous landholders who may be at risk to lose their lands in the Big Cypress Preserve as a result of the Western Everglades Restoration Project (WERP). Walkers will be able to camp overnight, and an evening chat led by the participants is set to happen Saturday evening.

Those camping are encouraged to arrive and check in on Friday, December 6. The entrance for campers and walkers will be clearly marked ahead of the event. The group is seeking volunteers to help set up and check participants in. For those planning to camp overnight and walk one day only on Sunday, check in begins Saturday December 7 at noon. This is an alcohol / drug free, family-friendly event.

Cypress adds: “There’s still discussions going on between all the stakeholders — the feds, the state, the tribes, and landowners — about restoring Big Cypress / WERP, but the fear of a federal land grab still hasn’t been alleviated and that’s why we’re bringing attention to this matter.”

The pair believes that the healing of the environment doesn’t require the removal of indigenous people from their lands nor requires violations of agreements made to them in the beginning of the creation of the Big Cypress Preserve. Their Facebook event page states: “As we pray over the landscape we will also pray for the protection of indigenous communities and their rights to exist in their ancestral homelands and also advocate for honoring the congressional agreements made to our non-indigenous neighbors who will also be impacted.”

As the two did during a prayer walk of Lake Okeechobee earlier this year, each morning the prayers will be webcast on Facebook Live in an attempt to envelop and embrace Mother Earth in a global healing prayer. Supporters who cannot join the walk are encouraged to tune in.

For more information, visit www.LoveTheEverglades.org. 

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MEDIA CONTACT

Rev. Houston R. Cypress
lovetheeverglades@gmail.com
786-897-4582

MEDIA ALERT

Love the Everglades Movement to host the 4th Annual Everglades Symposium and Cleanup in October

Miami, FL – August 15, 2017 – The South-Florida based conservation and activism group Love the Everglades Movement is hosting their 4th Annual Everglades Symposium including a series of talks, lectures, and workshops by local industry leaders, elected officials and candidates running for office, indigenous voices, and other officials October 7, 8 and 15. The events will focus on citizen empowerment and include divergent perspectives on science, policy, activism, and arts and spirituality. The symposium will include information booths from a diverse selection of community organizations, and the booths are free for community organizations. They will be prioritized by actionable items of environmental concerns.

Topics covered will include “Indigenous Sovereignty and Land Use”, “Impacts of Phosphate Mining in Central Florida”, “The Urban Development Boundary in South Florida”, “The health of Biscayne Bay”, and much more.There will also be live music. Attendance is free but registration is required because space is limited. Lunch will be provided by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida to registered attendants.

Who: the Love the Everglades Movement

What: 4th Annual Everglades Symposium and Cleanup

When: Saturday, October 7, Sunday October 8, and Sunday, October 15, 2017

Where: 

Day 1 – Symposium at Miccosukee Resort & Convention Center, 500 SW 177th Ave, Miami, FL 33194

Day 2 – Workshops at Florida International University Modesto Maidique campus, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199

Day 3 – Everglades clean-up on the Tamiami Trail

More information: www.lovetheeverglades.org/symposium-2017.html 

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MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
info@mutcomm.com
786.426.2277

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Love the Everglades Movement Summer Symposium Scheduled for August 6, 7 and 14

Save the dates for two weekends of speakers, presentations, workshops, activism, entertainment and more, plus a special environmental cleanup effort

Who: Love the Everglades Movement, a volunteer organization dedicated to implement evolving strategies across the full spectrum of being which address the environmental, structural, cultural and spiritual problems plaguing the Florida Everglades by raising awareness and organizing positive community engagement at the local, regional, national and global levels.

What: The 3rd annual Love the Everglades Movement Summer Symposium‘s focus will be Everglades ecology, spirituality, activist reports on environmental crises, theology, art, and activism. It will feature guest speakers including Florida State Senator Dwight Bullard, Florida State Representative Mark S. Pafford, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, author Thomas E. Lodge and others, physical and digital art displays, workshops, live entertainment, and more.

Free table space is available to community organizations; sponsorship packages are available. Event is free and open to the public; all ages welcome. The group is organizing a cleanup effort – details T.B.A. The annual benefit concert will take place at Gramps in Wynwood in September – more information coming soon.

When: Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7 and 14, 2016.

Where: August 6 – Miccosukee Resort & Convention Center, 500 SW 177th Ave, Miami, FL 33194; August 7 – Florida International University’s Modesto Maidique Campus, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199; August 14 – TBA.

Why: Because the time is right for “Giving Back to the Everglades” (this year’s theme).

More information: www.lovetheeverglades.org.

MEDIA & SPONSORSHIP CONTACT
Michael Mut
Mut Communications
info@mutcomm.com
786.426.2277

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Love the Everglades Movement Summer Symposium to Advocate for the “Rights of the Water” August 22-23

Weekend of presentations, guest speakers, excursions, entertainment, art installations, prayers, and strategizing aims to raise awareness and spur action to preserve the River of Grass

Miami, FL – July 29, 2015 – The non-profit, volunteer organization Love the Everglades Movement implements strategies to address the environmental, structural, cultural and spiritual problems plaguing the Florida Everglades by raising awareness and organizing community engagement. On August 22, 2015 at the Miccosukee Resort & Convention Center (500 SW 177th Ave, Miami, FL 33194), and August 23, 2015 at Florida International University’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus (Graham Center, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199, room 150), the group will convene during the 2nd annual Summer Symposium.

“Protecting our natural resources is a concern for us all because the water is sacred and the water unites us,” says symposium organizer and Miccosukee community member Reverend Houston R. Cypress. “The Love the Everglades Movement is providing the community with a platform for education and action. Now we need the public to participate and be part of the solution.”

Guest speakers, PechaKucha presentations, physical and digital art displays, workshops and live entertainment will serve to educate and hopefully inspire the community to conserve South Florida’s greatest natural resource. Day one of the symposium runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the second floor ballroom of the convention center, with a catered lunch served courtesy of the symposium’s presenting sponsor, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

Day two of the Summer Symposium 2015 will consist of an in-depth look at activist planning, strategies and tactics with environmental organizations with a common mission: to restore and preserve the Everglades. F.I.U.’s Global Indigenous Forum is the venue sponsor for day two, and is providing additional support. Attendees will have an opportunity to network with a diverse community of environmental advocates, and they will break up into groups to explore in detail regional environmental concerns with the goal of creating plans of action for making progress on these issues.

This year, the symposium’s goals are to:

• Articulate the moral imperatives that motivate action to restore the Everglades
• Engage various communities in environmental issues and actions
• Provide networking opportunities between individuals, communities, and organizations
• Provide information on environmental, political, social, and spiritual concerns regarding Everglades restoration, water contamination, land use, and indigenous rights.

“This is a great educational opportunity,” continues Cypress. “We encourage teachers, students, artists, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested to attend. If you care about the Everglades, it is worth the effort to get involved.” Love the Everglades Movement is publishing all presentations and discussions through a variety of media platforms to contribute to the global discussion on Everglades and environmental matters. “We’re also very excited that people are stepping up to meet the challenge by offering their support. Agustina Woodgate is going to be bringing herRadio Espacio Estacion project to the event to broadcast it live via Internet radio.”

“As artists, we have to use all the tools available to us to get this work done,” explainsJean Sarmiento, co-founder of the Love the Everglades Movement. “We have to give the water the respect it deserves. I don’t care if you’re a diva, a gangster, if you’re RickRoss, if you’re black, white, green, or purple – it behooves us to reach out to as many people as possible and engage them in this necessary work.” To that end, the event organizers will be providing multilingual translation services in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Miccosukee, and American Sign Language. They are also providing community organizations with free booth space so they can get their message out to attendees.

“There’s going to be a lot of different examples of what people are doing,” says Dr. J. Michael Lemus, member of the Coordination Circle for Love the Everglades Movement. “We hope that by seeing all the ways people are doing this work, people will be inspired to do what they can to save the Everglades. It’s going to take all kinds of people doing so many things: art, policy, prayer, research. I’m so glad that we’re making this available to people that speak different languages. What an exciting time to get involved.”

The event is free and open to the public both days and all ages are welcome. Free table space is available for community organizations that would like to participate on Saturday, August 22. A special benefit concert is planned for Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Gramps in Wynwood; details are forthcoming.

For more information, including the full list of speakers, entertainment, activities and registration, visit www.lovetheeverglades.org/summer-symposium-2015.html or email Cypress at LoveTheEverglades@gmail.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Michael Mut
Mut Communications
info@mutcomm.com
786.426.2277