Interwoven Waters Exploring Florida's Interconnected Waterways

Every drop of water in Florida is connected. Like a tapestry, our waterways are interwoven and interconnected far more than any of us can realize.

Learn about the story of water in Florida by following its flow, beginning in the aquifer and ultimately ending in the Everglades and the Florida Keys. As you progress through the exhibit, understand how each body of water connects and listen to the excerpts of the fishermen, politicians, business owners, scientists, artists, activists, indigenous members, and everyday people that live and are interconnected by these waterways.

Interwoven Waters is an extension of the Florida Naturalist Oral History Project. Created in 2021, the project documents the story of Florida’s increasingly degrading waterways. Through the use of over 60 oral history testimonies from across the state, this project explains how a variety of overlaying factors contribute to the destruction of these waterways and the cost that they have on individuals’ economic, environmental, cultural, and political livelihoods.

Acknowledgments

This exhibit is dedicated to my grandfather Vasilios Christakos, who taught me about the sea, and whose stories and insights inspired my love for the sciences and humanities.

Thank you to each of the 60 individuals I have interviewed as part of the Florida Naturalist Oral History Project; your time, kindness and enthusiasm has made this all possible.

Thank you to the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida for sponsoring this exhibit and being home to the Florida Natuarlist Oral History Project. I specifically thank Adolfho Romero, Debroah Hendrix, Tamarra Jenkins and Dr. Paul Ortiz for their endless support, mentorship and guidance.

Thank you to John Moran, Dr. Karen Neely, Dr. Thomas Whitmore, The Tampa Bay Times, and The Tampa Bay Estuary Program, for the wonderful visuals you see throughout the exhibit.

Finally thank you to all my family and friends for your never-ending love, encouragement and patience as I've traveled along this journey.

This exhibition has been sponsored in part with funding from Visit Gainesville – Alachua County, FL; The City of Gainesville; and the Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Florida Council of the Arts and Culture, and the State of Florida.