As part of UF Gulf Scholars, the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program (SPOHP) announce the seven University of Florida undergraduates who have been selected to participate in the inaugural UF Gulf Scholars Oral History Field Excursion: Documenting the Legacy of Environmental Harm and Heroism in Pensacola, Florida.
During the field excursion, which takes place June 11-15, 2024, students will interview residents of Pensacola, Florida who were impacted by several toxic waste sites, including one dubbed “Mount Dioxin.” In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency relocated 358 households surrounding the site, marking the third largest Superfund relocation initiated by the EPA after Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York and Times Beach, Missouri. Following the field excursion, students will process and finalize the collected material for inclusion in the UF Digital Collections.
Before traveling to the panhandle, the students were required to take an introductory oral history training where they learned about the importance of archives and how to work collaboratively with communities during the interview process.
“SPOHP is thrilled to partner with the Bob Graham Center for the inaugural Gulf Scholars fieldwork trip to Pensacola to document community organizing in response to the enduring impacts of Pensacola’s Superfund sites,” said Anna Hamilton, assistant director for SPOHP.
“Oral history is a powerful community-building tool and research method, and we’re excited to see how this year’s cohort incorporates oral history in their broader work throughout our Gulf communities. Our students represent a range of majors and minors, and each will contribute their unique perspective to this project and the research team as a whole.”
Read more about the students and how the trip relates to their career goals below.
Hannah Bokor
Hannah is a junior honors student majoring in environmental science and pursuing minors in environmental justice and policy as well as agricultural and natural resource law. Through her UF coursework and outside involvement, she has grown passionate about how environmental issues intersect with social justice and policy. Bokor is a member of the Delta Nu Zeta service sorority, volunteering for local organizations each semester, and she is about to embark on research in Cedar Key to determine community response to coastline restoration projects. After graduation, Bokor will pursue law school, likely with a focus on real estate law. By participating in this oral history field excursion, Bokor hopes to learn more about the importance of individual opinions and experiences and how to use these when crafting policy and dispelling legal disputes.
Sophia Cachaldora
Sophia Cachaldora is a rising senior studying advertising and public relations. Growing up on the east coast of Florida, she experienced firsthand how her community coped with the lasting impacts of hurricanes Francis and Jeanne, leading to a passion for community engagement and disaster response. Through her UF coursework and outside involvement, she has been able to pursue her relevant interests in public interest communication, leadership and management. Cachaldora holds active positions in a number of organizations, including The Independent Florida Alligator newspaper, the UF Living Poet’s Society and UF Rowing. By participating in this oral history field excursion, Cachaldora hopes to learn more about the nuances of personal storytelling and how to humanize and engage with living history most compassionately. She is especially interested in the resilience of communities in the wake of crises.
Liya Johny
Liya is a sophomore majoring in history and is considering pursuing a minor in Russian studies. Through her UF coursework and outside involvement, she has developed a passion for human rights law and an interest in researching the legacies of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Johny works as a student assistant for UF Student Activities & Involvement and serves as an ambassador to Flipping the System. After graduation, Johny plans on attending law school and pursuing her Ph.D. to work in immigration law and academia. By participating in this oral history field excursion, Johny hopes to learn more about the historical and ongoing environmental injustices affecting Black communities in Pensacola. By contributing to preserving these vital narratives and supporting efforts to address and rectify environmental injustices, she hopes to use her experience to research and understand broader historical patterns regarding race and public policy.
Mattison Mathews
Mattison Mathews is a junior majoring in history and pursuing a minor in mass communications. Through her UF coursework and outside involvement, she has developed a passion for critically engaged research and a specific interest in Florida’s Gulf coast communities. Since her time at UF, Mathews has been involved in the Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society Gamma Eta Chapter and the Pre-Legal Honor Society. She has also participated in an experiential learning Washington D.C. excursion hosted by Beyond 120 and the Bob Graham Center for Public Service that further aligned her interests in working for the public’s benefit. After graduation, Mathews plans on pursuing a career in law, where she hopes to work as a real estate attorney. By participating in this oral history field excursion, Mathews hopes to learn more about the experiences of those living near Superfund sites, as well as the oral history research and interview process.
Beckett Price
Beckett Price is a history major going into his fourth year at UF. During his time there, Price has become passionate about making history more accessible to and reflective of the public. Price is a member of Phi Alpha Theta history honor society, an editor for the undergraduate history research journal Alpata, and he splits his free time between riding horses, hiking and volunteering for local causes. He hopes to pursue a graduate degree in history or Southern studies. Price goes into this field excursion hoping to learn more about the outcomes of oral history projects as well as the impact of environmental injustice on communities that have been historically silenced.
Caitlin Remmert
Caitlin Remmert is a sophomore majoring in economics. Through her UF coursework and outside involvement, she has developed an interest in law, history, and economics. Remmert is involved in UF Model United Nations and the Women in Economics club. She has also worked on a research project through the Bob Graham Center’s Civic Scholars program in Spring 2024. After graduation, Remmert plans on attending law school. By participating in this oral history field excursion, Remmert hopes to learn more about environmental issues along the Gulf Coast, working with communities, and proper practices for interviewing and collecting oral histories.
Amelia Sewell
Amelia Sewell is a junior majoring in economics, and pursuing a double major in sustainability studies. Through her UF coursework and outside involvement, she has developed a passion for environmental policy. Sewell is the sustainability chair for Delta Zeta and is involved in gardening on campus. She is also a member of Women in Economics Club and is participating in an internship this summer with a small consulting firm. To balance environmental and economic objectives in her career with environmental policy, Sewell plans on pursuing a master’s degree in economics. By participating in this oral history field excursion, Sewell hopes to learn more about the dynamic between policymakers and communities advocating for themselves in times of environmental injustice.