The Life and Activism of the Legendary Diane Wilson

May 10, 2021

The hard, hard work of defending the coast.

Diane Wilson's Hunger Strike

This episode of the Sea Change Podcast features activism in action! Join Jenna as she checks in with Diane Wilson, a 4th-generation shrimper, activist, and author who is currently on a hunger strike to pressure the Biden Administration to stop the dredging of the mercury-contaminated Matagorda Ship Channel on Texas' Gulf Coast.

Diane fears, and the Army Corps of Engineers acknowledges, that mercury contamination from the nearby Alcoa Superfund site could be unearthed and devastate fisheries that local communities are working to restore and revitalize.

Tune in to this episode to learn from Diane's 30+ years of activism experience. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one.

Check out updates on the hunger strike here



Show Transcription
This transcription was generated by a computer. Please excuse any errors.
Jenna Valente

A passion for conservation and appreciation for the natural world was engrained in Jenna at a young age. Her father was in the Coast Guard. This meant she always had the fortune of living near the ocean, including Hawaii, Washington State, and Maine. Both of her parents encouraged her to spend the majority of her time outside. As a result, she finds that she is most comfortable barefoot and exploring the coast, countryside, or mountains. Her favorite thing about the ocean is the sheer power of it all. Jenna joined the American Littoral Society as the Healthy Oceans Coalition Coordinator from the Chesapeake Research Consortium where she was a member of the communications staff and focused on building the brand of the program and ensure the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Jenna completed her Executive Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech in 2015 and also has her Bachelors in Communication and Journalism from the University of Maine.