{"id":21512,"date":"2014-09-11T16:08:05","date_gmt":"2014-09-11T20:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=21512"},"modified":"2015-03-19T15:55:34","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T19:55:34","slug":"emu-videographers-contribute-to-grassroots-struggle-to-preserve-environment-in-northwestern-wisconsin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2014\/emu-videographers-contribute-to-grassroots-struggle-to-preserve-environment-in-northwestern-wisconsin\/","title":{"rendered":"EMU filmmakers contribute to grassroots struggle to preserve environment in northwestern Wisconsin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Major news media such as Al-Jazeera America<\/a> and the New York Times<\/a> are paying attention to an environmental and political crisis developing in northwestern Wisconsin, and Eastern Mennonite University professor Paulette Moore<\/a> and her spring documentary students are in the middle of the news story.<\/p>\n

Their film, \u201cTo Wisconsin With Love<\/a>,\u201d is helping to shape a national conversation about environmental justice, citizen activism, indigenous rights, and nonviolent resistance.<\/p>\n

Largest open-pit mine ever?<\/h3>\n

The 45-minute film focuses on the proposed creation of the world\u2019s largest open-pit mine \u2013 nearly four miles long, 1,000 feet wide and 900 feet deep \u2013 in the Penokee Hills, just miles from the world\u2019s largest freshwater lake and several Native American communities that rely on the water source to preserve tribal traditions and economic well-being.<\/p>\n

\u201cEMU students are helping drive a very important dialogue about one of the major issues of our day,\u201d says Moore, associate professor of visual arts<\/a> and peacebuilding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a story that is far from over,\u201d added Pete Rasmussen, co-founder of the Penokee Hills Education Project <\/a> and a prominent voice in the film. He noted the recent revelation<\/a> of a $700,000 donation<\/a> from mining company Gogebic Taconite to Governor Scott Walker\u2019s recall campaign.<\/p>\n

The film traces three compelling story lines \u2013 the extractive industry of open pit iron ore mining, its potential effect on one of the world\u2019s largest freshwater lakes, and the multicultural group of citizen activists who have been monitoring the site and protesting the proposal. Woven into the narrative is a Greek chorus of West Virginia residents affected by the toxic chemical leak of coal-washing liquid that poisoned the water supply of 300,000 people in January 2014<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Alerting people of Wisconsin<\/h3>\n

The documentary is \u201ca message to the people in Wisconsin of what will likely happen if the mining is continued,\u201d said student filmmaker Anne Diller \u201914. \u201cAfter listening to the people from West Virginia share their warning to Wisconsin, it felt like we were piecing together a love letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since its premiere June 20 on the reservation of the Bad River band of the Lake Superior Chippewa tribe, the film has earned accolades from local activists.<\/p>\n

Jill \u201cPeach\u201d Hartlev, a member of the tribe\u2019s Anishinaabee Environmental Protection Alliance<\/a>, helped host the premiere, which was open to the public and included a potluck, poetry, singing and dancing. Several of those interviewed in the film were also present, including tribal chair Mike Wiggins Jr.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an overwhelmingly positive response among those present,\u201d Hartlev said, who added that Moore\u2019s presence made the event special. \u201cIt was very moving for me personally to see those faces and hear those voices. These are personal friends and also people who I work closely with. I was moved to tears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rasmussen said he appreciated \u201cthe connections the students made, how it showed an understanding of how we\u2019re all connected, from West Virginia to Virginia to what\u2019s happening here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting all the pieces together<\/h3>\n

Local and national media had reported on the proposed project, Rasmussen said, but \u201cthe film put all the pieces together and has definitely had a broader impact with audiences who are not as familiar with the issue and the idea that we\u2019re facing this all over the country in a systemic way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hartlev and Rasmussen, who both attended multiple regional showings throughout the summer, noted that the various audiences shared an especially visceral reaction to Gogebic Taconite spokesman Bob Seitz\u2019s statement about the presence at the proposed site of grunerite, a rare asbestiform rock that carries the risk of airborne carcinogens. Seitz\u2019s statement contradicted both the findings<\/a> of the company\u2019s own scientists, as well as that of Northlands College geologist Tom Fitz.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were gasps and laughter, expressions of disbelief during that segment,\u201d said Rasmussen. \u201cThe people who have been paying attention in meetings and hearings have seen that denial, but there\u2019s only a few people going to those meetings. So to get that on film is motivating to the public, because it\u2019s something they\u2019ve heard about, but they haven\u2019t seen it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moore \u2013 an experienced videographer who has produced documentaries aired by the Discovery Channel, PBS and National Geographic \u2013 noted that the experience of capturing that interview on film and dealing with the ethical aftermath was unsettling, though educational for her students.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe students are really in the middle of this, and that interview segment shows that,\u201d she said. \u201cHere was a company spokesperson offering misleading information, right on film, and we spent a lot of time talking about the best way to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Importance of bearing witness
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Moore teaches a documentary filmmaking course every two years. (Previous student-involved projects include a biography of peaceworker Dan Terry<\/a> and a feature about local cooperative restaurant The Little Grill<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

The Visual and Communication Arts department<\/a> challenges students \u2013 and professors, Moore says \u2013 to think about \u201cEMU\u2019s message of service and responsibility in a media industry which is so entitled and can be quite destructive and powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do we think about media as creating a sacred space?\u201d Moore said. \u201cWhat\u2019s our role as a witness to the social justice movement?\u2019<\/p>\n

Moore was introduced to the documentary\u2019s subject matter by Danielle Taylor, who holds a master’s degree in conflict transformation<\/a> from EMU. Taylor created the \u201cVoice of the Penokee Hills<\/a>\u201d video project and blog.<\/p>\n

Moore began filming in the fall of 2013. On several occasions, she stayed at a harvest camp established near the proposed site by the Lac Courte Oreilles band, where participants monitor a mining project entrance, conduct research, and practice traditional hunting and foraging skills.<\/p>\n

By the time the spring 2014 documentary class began, she had dozens of hours of footage and faced the unique challenge of \u201cgetting my students excited about something I was already passionate about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Link to West Virginia chemical spill<\/h3>\n

That wasn\u2019t a problem after the Elk River toxic chemical spill on January 9, which contaminated the water supply 300,000 residents of Charleston, West Virginia, for days.<\/p>\n

Senior Emma King and junior Karla Hovde interviewed several West Virginia residents, including Bob Kincaid, host of Head On Radio<\/a> and a frequent contributor to the anti-mining discussion in Wisconsin. Those interviews had a dramatic impact on King.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really saw how misusing the environment hurts everyone,\u201d King said. \u201cTalking to people firsthand, rather than reading about it in a book, put this into perspective for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her involvement in the project changed her from a casual supporter of environmental causes to a passionate proponent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were able to amplify the voices of a group of people who were concerned about their community,\u201d Diller said. \u201cI felt like I had a personal relationship with the people as we edited their interviews. They opened up and shared their stories with us and trusted us to get their message out to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moore says the film is an official selection of the Big Water Film Festival<\/a>. A spring showing on campus is also planned.<\/p>\n

For more information on this issue, check out the reports on the Huffington Post<\/a>, Earth Island Journal<\/a>, and Forbes<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Editor’s note: In February 2015, Gogebic Taconite announced the closure of a office near the proposed mine<\/a>, citing unforeseen “wetland issues that make major continued investment unfeasible at this time,” as well as concern with impending environmental legislation. Though the company continues to claim that it will still work on securing permits to mine, some local officials and media<\/a> have suggested the press release is a sign of victory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Major news media such as Al-Jazeera America and the New York Times are paying attention to an environmental and political crisis developing in northwestern Wisconsin, and Eastern Mennonite University professor ... read more about EMU filmmakers contribute to grassroots struggle to preserve environment in northwestern Wisconsin<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":21523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4515,266,5730,12507],"tags":[7899,14263,15945,15288,16019,17392,13890,5690,6320],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-21512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-alumni","category-undergraduate-programs","category-vaca","tag-al-jazeera","tag-dan-terry","tag-danielle-taylor","tag-emma-king","tag-karla-hovde","tag-new-york","tag-paulette-moore","tag-peacebuilding","tag-the-little-grill"],"yoast_head":"\nEMU filmmakers contribute to grassroots struggle to preserve environment in northwestern Wisconsin - 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