Understory Film: Help us share our story!
Donation protected
UNDERSTORY IS A NEW NARRATIVE FOR THE TONGASS
In the last months of the Trump Administration, Roadless Rule protections were lifted from the Tongass National Forest, which means that nine million acres of temperate rainforest are suddenly threatened by clearcut logging.
This sudden reversal of long-standing protections has forced our nation to a moment of reckoning. How should we value our last ancient forests?
Understory, is a 40-minute film that takes us on a journey into the Tongass, with four young women as our guides.
Elsa, is a local salmon fisherman who grew up in a village in the heart of the Tongass. Natalie, is a field biologist who has spent decades studying this unique ecosystem. Marina, is a Haida & Tlingit woman who is fighting for her culture and homelands. And Mara, is a botanical illustrator who’s committed to the practice of bearing witness to threatened lands.
Together, we want to shape a new narrative for the Tongass, and bring an end to outdated management practices.
We need your support to share this film with the world. Please donate to help us get Understory in front of audiences.
YOUR DONATION WILL SUPPORT
~ Bringing the Tongass into Classrooms ~
We’re fundraising to collaborate with Blueshift Education to develop an educational curriculum for Understory. If we can raise $10,000 to create this curriculum, then Understory can be shared in classrooms across the nation for the next several years. The curriculum will teach students how ancient forests stabilize the climate, and how to advocate for public lands through ground-truthing.
~ Hosting Screenings and Conversations in Alaskan Communities ~
If we can raise an additional $5,000, then our team will host screenings of Understory in Alaska. We will bring together the women of the film, Elsa, Mara, Natalie, and Marina to inspire generative conversations with communities across the Tongass.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
Last Stands is a volunteer-run initiative, made possible through our personal time, donations, and a few grants. We are committed to this work because we love the Tongass. As Ed Abbey said, “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.”
In order to make our work possible, we need to raise $15,000. Your help will go towards supporting the distribution of Understory.
We've been collaborating on this film with Wild Confluence Media, and Audubon Alaska. Our expedition and film were generously supported by Sitka Salmon Shares, Schoolhouse Fish, and Peak Design. The Wilderness Society is stepping up to support some of the costs of our film distribution. We are so grateful to these organizations and businesses!
Everyone on our team has put countless hours (and years!) into making this film, the majority of the work on this project has been volunteered. If you choose to donate to this campaign, we will use your dollars wisely to get this film in front of audiences across the nation.
DONATION INFO
All proceeds go directly to the Last Stands Initiative. This is an ongoing fundraising campaign. There are no minimum or maximum limits for GoFundMe fundraisers.
In the last months of the Trump Administration, Roadless Rule protections were lifted from the Tongass National Forest, which means that nine million acres of temperate rainforest are suddenly threatened by clearcut logging.
This sudden reversal of long-standing protections has forced our nation to a moment of reckoning. How should we value our last ancient forests?
Understory, is a 40-minute film that takes us on a journey into the Tongass, with four young women as our guides.
Elsa, is a local salmon fisherman who grew up in a village in the heart of the Tongass. Natalie, is a field biologist who has spent decades studying this unique ecosystem. Marina, is a Haida & Tlingit woman who is fighting for her culture and homelands. And Mara, is a botanical illustrator who’s committed to the practice of bearing witness to threatened lands.
Together, we want to shape a new narrative for the Tongass, and bring an end to outdated management practices.
We need your support to share this film with the world. Please donate to help us get Understory in front of audiences.
YOUR DONATION WILL SUPPORT
~ Bringing the Tongass into Classrooms ~
We’re fundraising to collaborate with Blueshift Education to develop an educational curriculum for Understory. If we can raise $10,000 to create this curriculum, then Understory can be shared in classrooms across the nation for the next several years. The curriculum will teach students how ancient forests stabilize the climate, and how to advocate for public lands through ground-truthing.
~ Hosting Screenings and Conversations in Alaskan Communities ~
If we can raise an additional $5,000, then our team will host screenings of Understory in Alaska. We will bring together the women of the film, Elsa, Mara, Natalie, and Marina to inspire generative conversations with communities across the Tongass.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
Last Stands is a volunteer-run initiative, made possible through our personal time, donations, and a few grants. We are committed to this work because we love the Tongass. As Ed Abbey said, “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.”
In order to make our work possible, we need to raise $15,000. Your help will go towards supporting the distribution of Understory.
We've been collaborating on this film with Wild Confluence Media, and Audubon Alaska. Our expedition and film were generously supported by Sitka Salmon Shares, Schoolhouse Fish, and Peak Design. The Wilderness Society is stepping up to support some of the costs of our film distribution. We are so grateful to these organizations and businesses!
Everyone on our team has put countless hours (and years!) into making this film, the majority of the work on this project has been volunteered. If you choose to donate to this campaign, we will use your dollars wisely to get this film in front of audiences across the nation.
DONATION INFO
All proceeds go directly to the Last Stands Initiative. This is an ongoing fundraising campaign. There are no minimum or maximum limits for GoFundMe fundraisers.
Fundraising team: Last Stands (2)
Elsa Sebastian
Organizer
Point Baker, AK
Alyssa Wallace
Team member