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April 26, 2024
Waterkeeper Alliance to Appear in The Visionaries Series on PBS
Episode features the work of Waterkeeper Warriors in Miami and Peru.
NEW YORK, NY—Waterkeeper Alliance will be profiled in the upcoming season of The Visionaries, the award-winning public television series hosted by acclaimed actor Sam Waterston of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie and formerly of HBO’s The Newsroom and NBC’s Law & Order. The Visionaries will begin airing on PBS stations across the country in the summer of 2020.
At a time when our water is threatened and when hard-fought protection for water is under assault, Waterkeeper Alliance has an effective model for action. The episode features the work of two ordinary citizens—Miami Waterkeeper Rachel Silverstein and Marañón Waterkeeper Bruno Monteferri—who courageously work full-time patrolling waters, holding polluters accountable, strengthening legal protection, and raising public awareness about threats to local water to increase pressure for action.
“I believe that the central idea of The Visionaries—doing what you can about huge, intractable problems—is an idea worth encouraging,” said actor Sam Waterston, the host of the series.
The full Visionaries episode is now available on Waterkeeper Alliance’s Facebook page and website. Waterkeeper Alliance will be hosting a live Q&A about the episode with featured participants Marc Yaggi, Rachel Silverstein, and Bruno Monteferri on June 23 at 7 p.m. ET. To register, visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7942524960747185168
“In normal times, half the developing world’s hospital beds are filled with people suffering from diseases caused by contaminated water,” said Marc Yaggi, executive director of Waterkeeper Alliance. “Preventing such illnesses by preserving clean water is more important now than ever.”
“We are dealing with existential water crises all around us, from facing rising seas to saving the last of our coral reefs,” said Rachel Silverstein, Miami Waterkeeper. “I’m so grateful to have an incredible team fighting alongside me to protect these vital resources.”
“The Marañon is the main source of the Amazon river and is one of the five big rivers that connect the Andes with the Peruvian Amazon,” said Bruno Monteferri, Marañón Waterkeeper. “We are still able to stop this river from being dammed and dredged. Visionaries showcases the magnificence of the Marañón Canyon and gives us the opportunity to share our fight to protect the river and the people that depend on it.”
PBS stations across the country will air the 12-part documentary series focused on nonprofit and public service organizations from around the world. Now in its 24th season, The Visionaries will highlight the topic of watershed protection by showcasing the work of Waterkeeper Alliance, a global network of more than 300 Waterkeeper groups fighting for drinkable, fishable, swimmable water in over 45 countries. The Waterkeeper Alliance episode will be broadcasted starting July 9.
Jody Santos, Senior Producer at The Visionaries said, “COVID-19 has helped illustrate some of the stark inequalities our world faces and, more than ever, the critical role nonprofits play in addressing these inequities. Whether it’s fighting for clean water or access to healthcare, the organizations we’re profiling in Season 24 are working to build a stronger, more just society in which no one gets left behind.”
About Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance is a global movement uniting more than 300 Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates around the world, focusing citizen action on issues that affect our waterways, from pollution to climate change. The Waterkeeper movement patrols and protects over 2.5 million square miles of rivers, lakes, and coastlines in the Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa. For more information, please visit waterkeeper.org.
About Miami Waterkeeper
Miami Waterkeeper is a south Florida-based non-profit with a mission to protect South Florida’s watershed through citizen engagement and community action, ensuring swimmable, drinkable, and fishable water for all. Through our work, we hope to ensure clean and vibrant South Florida waters and coastal culture for generations to come. www.miamiwaterkeeper.org.
About Marañón Waterkeeper
Marañón Waterkeeper is the guardian, steward, and voice of the Marañón river; A non-governmental organization whose mission is to protect and promote the Marañón River. We unite, educate, and empower people to address the major issues that threaten this watershed. For more information, please visit maranonwaterkeeper.org.
About The Visionaries
The Visionaries documentary series, hosted by acclaimed actor Sam Waterston, highlights the rarely told stories of individuals and nonprofit organizations that are working to create positive social change throughout the world. Visionaries, winner of several Telly Awards and Emmy nominations for Best Documentary, has produced over 230 documentaries shot in over 65 countries and all over the US. Visionaries has aired on PBS stations throughout the nation for 23 seasons. For more information, please visit www.visionaries.org.
Contact:
Maia Raposo, (203) 824-2229, [email protected]