Blue Voces: Latinx activists raise their voice against offshore drilling
It is not a secret that offshore drilling is a critical threat to the ocean –and to the livelihoods of coastal communities. However, proponents of offshore drilling often attempt to speak on behalf of the most vulnerable communities falsely claiming support for expanded offshore drilling with a false narrative of jobs and economic growth.
The most recent example of this rhetoric is the More Energy More Jobs Act, a proposed legislation out of Texas that is being introduced by congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX.) Framing their proposal around the economic devastation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the legislators insist our nation “needs more good-paying jobs and affordable energy prices for the American people.”
In truth, and regardless of what Brady, Cuellar et all say, offshore drilling has not only resulted in some of the worst environmental disasters, but it’s also the most clear example of the cost that is passed on to taxpayers and an activitity that tends to impact the most vulnerable communities. “It takes only one spill or accident to deprive lower-income Hispanic communities access to the shore, which is an important form of escape from the stress of urban areas where many minorities live,” says Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s founder and Executive Director.
As Big Oil continues to push against President Biden’s pause on offshore drilling, Azul reached out to a group of Latinx activists and conservationists in coastal communities to hear what they had to say about offshore drilling and coastal job opportunities. From California to Connecticut and Miami, the message we heard was loud and clear: Offshore drilling is a serious threat not only to the environment but to our very connection to the ocean.
In the first installment of #BlueVoces, hear from marine scientist Claudia Pineda Tibbs (aka La EcoLatina on social media) on how her coastal community is impacted by offshore drilling.