Oil Spill Blues? Put on Your Dancing Shoes

P1000309 Thursday night, National Wildlife Federation organized a concert and shrimp boil in Venice, LA for the men and women who’s lives have been turned upside down by the oil spill.

The Lost Bayou Ramblers, a Grammy Award Nominated band, provided the entertainment and NWF served up 200 pounds of shrimp for the attendees.

Having been born and raised in New Mexico, this was my first time experiencing a good old Cajun party. By the end of the night, I learned how to properly peel shrimp and how to dance the Cajun Waltz. More importantly, I learned that the people of this region are some of the most resilient, easy going and fun people around. Despite the devastation surrounding them, they managed to let it go for one night and enjoy some good food, good music and great company.

NWF’s Amanda Moore explained why she and others who are part of our on the ground team decided to hold the concert:

We just wanted to say thanks for all the hard work everyone’s been doing to protect the coast and for the assistance everyone has given us in the sharing the story of this disaster. With oil still gushing from the floor of the Gulf, we are taking the time to celebrate the traditions that make Louisianans so resilient – a little fun where we can make it, and an enduring spirit that says we can survive this together.”

The crowd of 150 people seemed grateful for the distraction. Throughout the night NWF gathered personal stories of what people love about Louisiana’s coast and culture, how they feel about the spill, and what they think needs to happen to recover and move coastal Louisiana toward a more sustainable future. We will be compiling these stories and sharing them those who want to learn more about the cultural impacts of the oil spill.

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For all the latest news on how the oil spill is impacting the Gulf Coast’s wildlife & to learn how you can help, visit NWF.org/OilSpill.