Abalone Stories: Loss, Connection, Renewal

Film Screening, Panel Discussion, Community Tables

Film Directed by Petaluma award winning filmmaker Cynthia Abbott. As creator of Every Second Breath Project, her documentaries have screened at festivals in the U.S. and internationally, aired on PBS, and been used for education and outreach, with one film from the series receiving an EMMY® Award.

This event brings together storytelling, science, and Indigenous perspectives.

• Q&A and panel discussion - following the film screenings
• Community Partner Tables - meet organizations working to restore kelp forests, protect marine ecosystems, monitor sea life, and preserve California's coastal heritage
• Opportunities to connect with local advocates working to protect our oceans and planet

Winner of the McNeely Audience Award for Best Short Documentary and recipient of a Special Jury Mention for Cultural, Environmental, and Community Impact at the Sonoma International Film Festival, the film gives voice to individuals who are tied to the plight of the abalone. The film approaches the decline of the red abalone through lived experience, exploring not only what has been lost, but how care, responsibility, and connection to the sea endure.

Panel Discussion

Moderated by Dr. Brent Hughes, Associate Professor/Marine Biology, Sonoma State University

• Cynthia Abbott, Director
• Eric Wilder, Kashia / Pomo Cultural Consultant, Graphic Designer
• Julieta Gómez, Kelp Restoration Coordinator Greater Farallones Association
• Sara E. Boles, MS, PhD Assistant Project Scientist | Aquaculture Cooperative Extension Lab / Bodega Marine Laboratory UC Davis

Community Tables

• ·Coastal Restoration - Greater Farallones Association, in partnership with the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries,
• ·Native History & Restoration - Kashia Band of Pomo Indians
• ·Whales & Seals - Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study
• ·River Restoration - Redwood Coast Land Conservancy

Thank you to our major sponsor! 
The Sea Ranch Foundation

Building Community through Art, Educational/Environmental
Protection and Historic Preservation

And the generous  support from