Earth Day Observation

FREE event presented with Tulsa Area Arkansas River Advocates, Oklahoma Earth Coalition, and OK Roots Music on Sunday April 21. All admission is FREE, first-come first-served.

Celebrate Earth Day with a special FREE film screening and discussion event. The afternoon begins with a reception at 1:30pm, featuring complimentary light bites, with drinks available for purchase. During the reception, Tulsa Area Arkansas River Advocates (TAARA) will provide materials and insights into their efforts to protect and restore the Arkansas River and its dependent natural communities.

- ORDER OF EVENTS -

1:30pm - Reception:
Complimentary light bites; drinks available for purchase. Learn more about TAARA's mission and initiatives during this time.

2:00pm - Double Feature Begins:
"ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (Meet Me at the Creek)" by Loren Waters (Cherokee and Kiowa) - 11 minutes
A poignant short film showcasing the interconnectedness of Cherokee values and the lifelong environmental activism of Rebecca Jim, a Cherokee Nation citizen.

"Dark Waters" starring Mark Ruffalo - 2 hours 6 minutes
A gripping feature film based on the true story of a corporate defense attorney's battle against a chemical company's pollution scandal.

4:30 - Post Film Discussion:
Following the films, engage in a meaningful discussion moderated by Bert Fisher with special guests Loren Waters, Molly Bullock, Charles Pratt, Rebecca Jim, and Pam Kingfisher. The panel will explore themes of environmental activism, community involvement, and the ongoing efforts to safeguard our natural resources.

- ABOUT THE FILMS -

"ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (Meet Me at the Creek)" (11min) tells a story of interconnectedness and Cherokee values through the lifelong fight of Rebecca Jim, a Cherokee Nation citizen and Waterkeeper Warrior, as she leads the effort to restore Tar Creek located in Miami, Oklahoma. U.S. government officials have designated Tar Creek as “irreversibly damaged,” but Rebecca refuses to accept that.

"Dark Waters" (2h6min) stars Mark Ruffalo as a corporate defense attorney who takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.

- ABOUT TULSA AREA ARKANSAS RIVER ADVOCATES -

Tulsa Area Arkansas River Advocates: TAARA’s mission is to protect and restore the Arkansas River and the natural communities dependent upon it in Oklahoma and safeguard water quality through advocacy rooted in community activism, education, science, and law. Their vision is to see the Arkansas river restored and flowing in harmony with nature that contributes to a healthy biodiversity through habitat restoration and environmental education for future generations. Learn more at TulsaRiver.org.

- ABOUT THE PANELISTS -

Bert Fisher is our panel moderator. He is a proven scientist with undergrad degree from Yale and received his pHd in Philosophy from Case Western. He is Managing Principal at Lithochimeia, LLC; Partner at IMMIX Environmental Services. His work is as an environmental geologist and geochemist with extensive experience in legal disputes regarding soil, water and air pollution from oil & gas and animal agriculture operations and water resources.

Molly Bullock is a Tulsa-based writer and editor and the founder of Watershed, an independent investigative journalism series on Substack.

Charles Pratt is the President at Quadrelec Engineering Corp. He is an electrical engineer and graduate of Oklahoma University

Rebecca Jim is an activist who fights for environmental justice for tribal nations, including the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the Quapaw nation, and her own Cherokee Nation.
She is founder of Local Environmental Action Demanded (LEAD) Northeast Oklahoma and serves as the Creekkeeper of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
Pam Kingfisher is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation and born into the Bird Clan, Kingfisher farms organically and keeps bees on her grandmother’s allotment land in the county. She is also Director of the Indigenous Women’s Network and is a delegate to U.N. meetings advocating for the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. Pam Kingfisher stood up for her community against #BigAg pollution, even when elected officials wouldn’t.

Loren Waters is is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe, and an award-winning filmmaker. Loren’s work centers on environmental knowledge, culture revitalization, and Indigenous futurity through storytelling. She currently works as a freelance Background Casting Director. She recently received the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation LIFT Award and the Running Strong Foundation Dreamstarter Environmental Justice Award. She has participated in fellowships such as Nia Tero 4th World Media Lab, 2021 Warner Media Bootcamp, and the Intercultural Leadership Institute Year 4. Her second short documentary “ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (Meet Me at the Creek)” is set to premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2024.