Against the Current: Life on the Eastern Shore

AGAINST THE CURRENT provides a powerful look at how residents of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, like many coastal towns, are subject to rising sea waters and the challenges it has on their lives and livelihood. Through resilience and perseverance, they learn to co-exist and celebrate their rural home. How can this community shed light on conversations happening around these issues of climate change?

The barrier islands of Virginia's Eastern Shore are more than just places to visit - they have helped create the dynamic environments of land and water around them. But with rising sea levels, the islands are vulnerable to the tides that are reshaping them and the community nearby.

Thelonius Cook, who owns and manages an organic farm on Virginia's Eastern Shore, talks about the challenges of farming with climate change affecting agriculture. Cook shares how water in the form of heavy rains, run off and flooding has destroyed his crops, and why this may be the future.

Kellen Singleton is passionate about oysters. The aquafarmer, who works in the waters of Virginia's Eastern Shore, talks about why he loves what he does and the magic of the oysters that he harvests. But the waters are warming which will affect both wildlife and human life as migration isn't always an option.