Hello!

My name is Erica Sharp-Edwards and I'm a middle school art teacher in Cape Coral, FL (near Fort Myers and Sanibel).  I've been sick to my stomach for years over the Lake Okeechobee releases and the impact they've had on our communities and environment both on the East and West coasts of FL.  I've protested since moving here in 2012, voted, rallied, taken trips to Tallahassee and the South Florida Water Management District to voice my concern... nothing has worked and I'm just plain fed up!  To watch this criminal ecological disaster happen year after year is just heartbreaking.  And it's getting worse every year!

Since what I was doing before wasn't working, I'm taking a new route.  I'm introducing my students to 'Art as Activism' this Fall.  We're going to start off with a bang and rally local art teachers together (maybe even the whole district, if my plan works out!) and expose students to experts and local artists fighting for our cause.  From there, we will have a poster/letter writing contest and send all of the students' work off to Tallahassee and Congress, where it needs to been seen. (As of now I have someone who works with the Environmental Defense Fund that could possibly expedite our artwork to our lawmakers). 

I've been blown away by the positive reception from so many people-  Florida residents and many other states across the US.  I've decided to start a fundraiser to buy art supplies for our students and to raise prize money to give to them as an incentive to do their best and put their all into this.  I'm honored that I have a chance to raise awareness for our youth and give them an outlet to express themselves.

I'm so grateful for the chance to even gain your attention, it means you care and you're my kind of person!  Thank you for your consideration of contributing to this cause- we need all of the help we can get!  Also, if you can't contribute financially, sharing this post, positive thoughts, prayers, and love will all help, too, I sincerely believe that!  Thank you, again.  I'm looking forward to the news coverage of this story so be ready to share far and wide, people need to know what's going on here.  We are our only hope at this point!

 
And I'd also like to say a prayer of peace, love, and gratitude for each and every creatures' life whose been taken by the releases and algae.  I will do my best to show them that their deaths weren't in vain.  <3

With Love and Hope,

Erica Sharp-Edwards

Gulf Middle School Art Teacher