Don’t miss the stunning photographic exhibit “Ocean Photographer of the Year” that opened recently in Hangar 41 at Alameda Point.
Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft is the mayor of Alameda. (photo courtesy of Maurice Ramirez — BANG archives)
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 through May 17 (visit westendartsdistrict.org online for tickets and more details).
The exhibit’s opening night featured a “fireside chat” with Dr. Kate Huckelbridge, the California Coastal Commission’s executive director, and Rachel Kyte, the U.K. special representative for climate, both of whom discussed the important collaboration between California and the United Kingdom to achieve global climate goals. Huckelbridge also highlighted the California Coastal Commission’s vital role in preserving this state’s public coast and beaches for the past 50 years.
The commission’s creation 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 Proposition 20, a statewide voter initiative, on the November 1972 ballot (famed photographer Ansel Adams was among that 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’s 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 (the Coastal Act), which provides a legal framework for coastal resource management. The Coastal Commission’s website (coastal.ca.gov) declares that “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’s 50-year legacy.
Alameda is fortunate to have dedicated volunteers who conduct monthly coastal cleanups at Alameda Point to protect our island city’s shoreline and beaches. You can Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA) and other organizations from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month at the Seaplane Lagoon Promenade at 1801 Ferry Point. The next coastal cleanup is planned for May 9. Visit casa-alameda.org online for more details.
Apply for city panels: Other opportunities for public engagement include serving on one of the city of Alameda’s commissions or boards. Openings are on the Recreation & Parks or Transportation commissions and on the Historic Advisory, Social Services Human Relations or Planning boards. For further information or to submit an application online, visit alamedaca.gov and select the “Your Government” tab.)
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, that 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 Alameda. For contact information and other details, visit bit.ly/mayorashcraft online.