Don’t miss the stunning photographic exhibit—Ocean Photographer of the Year—that opened recently at Hangar 41 at Alameda Point. Described as “a historic World War II airplane hangar… transformed into an immersive gallery of the world’s most extraordinary ocean photography,” the photographs will be on display until May 17. (For tickets and more information visit the West End Arts District website.)
The exhibit’s opening night featured a “fireside chat” with California Coastal Commission Executive Director Dr. Kate Huckelbridge and UK Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte, who discussed the important collaboration between California and the UK to achieve global climate goals. Dr. Huckelbridge also highlighted the California Coastal Commission’s vital role in preserving California’s coast and beaches for the public for the past 50 years.
The creation of the Coastal Commission began when a group of activists—alarmed by events including PG&E’s attempts to build a nuclear power plant on California’s coast, the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, and numerous efforts to privatize the coast—placed a statewide voter initiative on the November 1972 ballot. (Photographer Ansel Adams was among the initiative’s supporters.) Proposition 20 declared that “the California coastline is a distinct and valuable resource and it is state policy to preserve, protect and, where possible, restore the natural and scenic resources of the coastal zone for present and succeeding generations.”
California voters approved Prop. 20, which established the State Coastal Conservation Commission (now the California Coastal Commission) to provide landmark protection for California’s coast and preserve public access to the shore.
In 1976, continued public advocacy led the State Legislature to pass the California Coastal Conservation Act (Coastal Act) that provides a legal framework for coastal resource management. The Coastal Commission website declares, “The enduring legacy of the Coastal Act is evidenced in the coastal wetlands not filled, the sensitive habitats not destroyed, the access trails not blocked, the farms and ranches not converted to urban uses, the freeways and gated communities and industrial facilities not built.” The website further notes that “Public engagement has been central to all the Coastal Commission’s greatest achievements. Time and again, ordinary citizens have stepped forward to save a beloved beach or protect a stretch of coastline from harmful development proposals.” We are all the beneficiaries of the Coastal Commission, and the Coastal Act’s 50-year legacy.
Alameda is fortunate to have dedicated volunteers who conduct monthly Coastal Clean Ups at Alameda Point to protect our shoreline and beaches. Join CASA (Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda) and other organizations on the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Seaplane Lagoon Promenade, 1801 Ferry Point. The next Coastal Clean Up is on Saturday, May 9. For more information, visit the CASA website.
Apply for a City Board or Commission
Other opportunities for public engagement include serving on a City Board or Commission. There are currently openings on the Historic Advisory Board, Planning Board, Recreation & Parks Commission, Social Services Human Relations Board, and Transportation Commission. For more information, and to submit an application online, visit the City of Alameda website and select the “Your Government” tab.
Choose Hope over Fear: We are living through trying times, to say the least. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that there are always things, big and small, we can do to make the world—or our corner of it—a better place. Here’s a quote that inspires me, from one of our Nation’s most impressive First Ladies, Eleanor Roosevelt:
“Surely, in the light of history, it is more intelligent to hope rather than to fear, to try rather than not to try. For one thing we know beyond all doubt: Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’”
Be engaged! Choose hope! Stay Alameda Strong!
Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft is the Mayor of the City of Alameda. Reach her at [email protected].
