information from Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition

Seattle-based diver Laura James has won the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition's "River For All" photo contest. The prize is a personal kayak trip on the river with international hip-hop icon Macklemore.
A spokesman for the Coalition's "River For All" campaign, Macklemore is helping the Coalition focus attention on the environmental and health threats of toxic pollution in Seattle's Duwamish River. The campaign represents local residents, Tribal members, fishing families, waterfront workers, and recreational users who are encouraging Seattle and King County to strengthen cleanup plans for the river by committing to permanently remove more toxic pollution than proposed in a draft plan released by EPA last year.

"I believe that it is our responsibility as members of Seattle to clean and restore this river back to health, and to make sure that ALL children can grow up and have access to a clean and safe environment," says Macklemore. "This is our city’s only river, and I want to do my part to make sure that it’s safe for all that reside here. "

Contest winner Laura James has long championed protecting the environment. She was featured in a PBS documentary about the impacts of polluted runoff on Puget Sound in 2013, and earlier this year won an Emmy Award for her photography in a film about climate change and sea otters.

Her winning photo, titled "Duwamish Thriftshop," captures her in a gown made of trash collected from the Duwamish River. "The Duwamish is my river" and a list of toxic chemicals found in the river bottom are scrawled in ink on her skin.

"My message is one of strength and hope. Empowerment. Dream big. That was the concept behind this shot," says James. " We may have polluted it to the point of being a Superfund site, taken away half her flow, but the Duwamish still stands... This power, the power of nature to recover once we take our boot off its neck and give it a chance, is the power of hope."

James, also knows as "Diver Laura," has posted a blog site and video about the meaning and making of her winning photo.

The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition works to ensure a river cleanup that protects fish, wildlife and human health, and has served as EPA's Community Advisory Group for the river cleanup since 2001. The Duwamish River has been identified as one of the most toxic waste sites in the nation and is listed for cleanup on EPA's federal Superfund Site list. EPA's cleanup plan for the river is expected to be released by the end of this year.