About two weeks ago, I took a trip to Cedar Key with my Counseling in Community Settings class and our professor, Dr. West-Olatunji. Cedar Key is a small town located on the Gulf Coast, about 50 miles southwest of Gainesville. Known for its aqua-farming, it is a big name in the clamming industry. The purpose of our trip was to talk to members of the Cedar Key community in order to gain a better understanding of how the oil spill has impacted their lives. As future counselors, we also wanted to learn how our profession could better serve the needs of communities impacted by the oil spill.
In taking the time to talk with local residents, I learned more about the reality of the oil spill than I could have ever known from simply watching the news and reading the newspaper. In the last three months, media coverage has focused largely on the negative implications of the spill for Florida's tourism economy. While these reports are certainly not without merit-we've all seen the pictures of tar balls washing up onto the shorelines-it is important to recognize that there are beaches in northwest Florida that have not been impacted by the oil. Unfortunately, it is the false perception that all northwest Florida beaches are contaminated that has hurt Cedar Key the most. The media have been very instrumental in fueling these false perceptions. Instead, what is needed is widespread dissemination to the public that much of the Florida Gulf Coast waters are not only safe to swim in but also a safe source of food.
In speaking to the Cedar Key community about the oil spill, our class learned an invaluable lesson. Whether you are a counselor or a journalist, the first step in raising awareness and partnering with community residents who anticipating a disaster is to take time to have genuine conversations with impacted individuals. Our class did not travel to Cedar Key with the intention of conducting research or generating a news story; we went to learn about the residents' collective history and listen to their individual narratives.
It is important to recognize that the perceived effects of the oil spill are just as dangerous as the real effects. In no way am I trying to discount the media's efforts to engage in responsible journalism. I believe the media have the potential to do a lot of good for our local communities. However, when all angles of an issue are not receiving equal attention, it is everyone's responsibility to call attention to the problem. With only a few weeks left of summer before fall classes begin, I urge my fellow Gators to take a trip to the Gulf and visit Cedar Key. It's beautiful and oil-free.
Crystal Reyes is a graduate student in the
Counselor Education program at UF.
