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CHERYL SLAVANT, OUACHITA RIVERKEEPER
Cheryl Slavant, environmental warrior for over 20 years, and Ouachita Riverkeeper, discovered contamination in her local river and stumbled upon the Bouie’s and the cancer cluster in Crossett. She believes everyone who lives and works in Crossett is in danger. Cheryl has been working with the community for several years helping organize Crossett citizens by collecting health surveys and assisting scientists with air and water testing. The people in Crossett are her family and she’s helped them find their voice by encouraging them to fight for their rights. Cheryl’s heroic work is vital to the town and story.
WILMA SUBRA, CHEMIST, LOUISIANA ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION NETWORK
Wilma Subra is an award-winning chemist and Technical Director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network and President of Subra Company. She is investigating the health impacts of the chemicals emitted from Georgia-Pacific and how these chemicals affect the Crossett citizens. Subra’s goal is to get the state agencies to look at her data and reduce emissions. She appeared in the Oscar nominated documentary, Gasland, and was named "one of the fiercest women in the world" alongside Queen Elizabeth by MORE Magazine.
ANTHONY SAMSEL, RESEARCH SCIENTIST
Research Scientist, Anthony Samsel was a consultant to the world renowned ‘think tank’ Arthur D. Little, Inc. in Cambridge, MA formerly part of MIT. He has worked on many environmental projects for the EPA, US Coast Guard, and Army Corps of Engineers. Samsel is investigating Georgia- Pacific’s pollution impact in Crossett. His scientific report on the testing done in Crossett reveal harmful chemicals such as Benzene, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Formaldehyde in the air, land, and water- all of which can be linked to the processes from the plant.
BARRY SULKIN, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Barry Sulkin is an Environmental Scientist and works for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). He works with the Crossett community investigating the water pollution in the Ouachita River. His goal is to get the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency to correct the state standards and write a permit that protects fish and aquatic life.
VAN JONES, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FORMER ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISER
Van Jones is a CNN political contributor and co-founder of Rebuild the Dream. He is the former Whitehouse Special Advisor on Green Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation. Time magazine named him one of its "Heroes of the Environment" and in 2009 “100 Most Influential People in The World.” Jones provides a larger context in the film about the environmental injustice in Crossett, Koch Industries’ political influence in Washington, and the EPA’s function to protect Crossett and other communities inflicted with air and water pollution.
CHARLES LEWIS, PROFESSOR, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY / INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST
Charles Lewis founded the Center for Public Integrity in 1989 and served as its executive director until January 2005. Lewis has written many books and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, and many other publications. He is a professor and the founding executive editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University School of Communication, in Washington, D.C. Lewis provides the larger political context, based off his experience investigating Koch Industries and their role in Washington and interest in environmental deregulation.
HEATHER WHITE, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
Heather White is a nationally recognized expert on federal environmental law and policy and a campaign strategist with more than 15 years experience. EWG, the nation’s most effective environmental advocacy organization, uses game-changing, original research to help individuals, businesses, and governments make better decisions to protect public health and the environment. White provides context in the film on the Environmental Protection agency’s role politically and legally, the Koch’s environmental crimes, and how environmental policies in Washington trickle down, which affect towns like Crossett and other communities around the nation.
ELAINE SHANNON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
Elaine Shannon is editor-in-chief and publisher of the Environmental Working Group. She is a former correspondent for Time and Newsweek and author of three books about national security, terrorism, espionage and transnational crime. In the film, Shannon covers the history of Koch Industries’ company acquisitions and the political interests of the Koch’s vast empire.
PAUL BLUMENTHAL, REPORTER, THE HUFFINGTON POST
Paul Blumenthal is a reporter at The Huffington Post covering money-in-politics. His work has appeared on PBS' Frontline, MSNBC, CNN, and The New York Times. Blumenthal covers the historical context of the Koch’s and their interest in environmental deregulation, and Koch’s money in politics and their environmental crimes.
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