|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The South-Florida based arts and conservation group Love The Everglades Movement (LTEM) is celebrating a milestone and once again presenting a series of talks, workshops and other creative tools called the Miccosukee Arts and Science Symposium (MASS) during a 24-hour event starting Friday, October 4, 2024 at Miccosukee Casino & Resort (500 SW 177th Ave, Miami, FL 33194).
This collaborative event strives to bring diverse elements of the community together to inspire action. MASS welcomes indigenous voices, scientists, artists, and the community to lead discussions on, and interactive displays about, environmental issues facing the River of Grass. There will also be a film festival and dance party.
Now entering its second decade of activism in the area LTEM is a multi-disciplinary, volunteer, nonprofit organization that facilitates Everglades art projects, cleanups, concerts, fundraisers, workshops, prayer walks, and excursions. It was co-founded by artist Jean Sarmiento and Miccosukee poet Houston R. Cypress.
MASS will feature a morning and afternoon session of science panelists that will be discussing their work on Everglades status and trends as well as threats to the ecosystem posed by sea level rise and a changing south Florida climate. MASS is proud to feature the work of professors and graduate students from Florida International University, constituting collective science efforts produced through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research (FCE-LTER) program.
A poster session will be featured during an afternoon happy hour event in the Grand Ballroom, and will offer an opportunity for discussion with the researchers.
“As a product of FIU’s graduate school and FCE-LTER over 25 years ago, I am very pleased to help facilitate this important partnership between the Miccosukee Tribe and FIU,” says Kevin Cunniff, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Miccosukee Tribe. “MASS offers a great opportunity to showcase the world-class Everglades environmental/ecological science being conducted at FIU. The Miccosukee Tribe values its role and responsibility as a leader in Everglades science, management, restoration, and policy, and looks forward to achieving positive outcomes for the Everglades with FIU.”
MASS will balance the science symposium with arts and community workshops and activations.
“During our tenure as eco-art provocateurs, we’ve learned so much from our friends in he Miccosukee community. They’ve shown us how to let the land lead,” says Cypress. “Over the past decade, we’ve met so many fabulous folks in South Florida who are innovating new ways of storytelling, community building and inspiring action. Let’s get together at MASS, have a great time, and activate the wisdom of everyone in the community.”
To that end, LTEM advisors will be offerings arts and community workshops on the following topics: forest bathing, posthumanism, art making, citizen science, civic engagement, and direct-action planning. The activities will take shape in the form of an Everglades field trip, a Talk Show, instructional activities, the film festival, and a dance party, all informed in equal parts by science, the arts, and Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge.
The MASS Film Festival will feature 3 programs, highlighting Miccosukee conservation efforts, a diverse selection of short films, and a documentary screening and panel discussion on the role of soil in our circular economy.
William “Popeye” Osceola, Secretary of the Miccosukee Business Council, feels very strongly about this community effort, explaining that “communication and collaboration are the beating heart of conservation, and we invite you to join the conversation.”
Spanish language interpretation will be available throughout the event.
The Miccosukee Casino & Resort is the ultimate destination for gaming, entertainment, elegant dining options, business meetings, and leisure in the heart of the Everglades. Guests can take in scenic views of the surrounding ecosystem with 302 luxurious guest rooms and suites featuring modern amenities and outstanding service. The casino features 1,800 slot machines, 20 live-action poker tables, bingo, and entertainment 24/7.
For the latest information, please visit LTEM on Instagram @love_the_everglades, or at lovetheeverglades.org.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com
#thatscommunitynews #communitynewspapers #miamidade #miamidadecounty #thatscommunity #miamicommunitynews #coralgables #palmettobay #southmiami #doral #aventura #pinecrest #kendall #broward #biscaynebay
