{"id":191763,"date":"2025-12-03T15:05:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T20:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/gso\/?p=191763"},"modified":"2025-12-03T15:05:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T20:05:26","slug":"free-screening-of-new-documentary-spotlights-belizean-women-leading-the-fight-to-save-a-world-heritage-reef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/gso\/news\/free-screening-of-new-documentary-spotlights-belizean-women-leading-the-fight-to-save-a-world-heritage-reef\/","title":{"rendered":"Free screening of new documentary spotlights Belizean women leading the fight to save a World Heritage reef"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2018Wealth Untold\u2019 follows multigenerational network of women scientists, artists, and community leaders working to protect the Western Hemisphere’s longest barrier reef<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

December 3, 2025<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

 The URI Graduate School of Oceanography is hosting a free, public screening of \u201cWealth Untold,\u201d a new documentary that chronicles the extraordinary efforts of Belizean women fighting to preserve one of the world\u2019s most vital marine ecosystems. The film offers an intimate look at how local action and women\u2019s leadership are driving global conservation solutions along Belize\u2019s threatened but magnificent coastline.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Rita Leslie farming seaweed near Ray Caye, Belize.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The film will be shown on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m. at the Coastal Institute Auditorium, located on URI\u2019s Narragansett Bay Campus<\/a>. The screening is free; registration is requested<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off the coast of Belize stretches the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere\u2014a UNESCO World Heritage Site that supports over half of the country\u2019s 400,000 residents through fishing, tourism, and cultural heritage. Yet despite national protections, this critical ecosystem faces mounting pressures from overfishing, oil exploration, invasive species, coastal development, and climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Mangrove reserves at Turneffe Atoll, Belize.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWealth Untold\u201d dives into the heart of this environmental challenge by following a diverse network of Belizean women\u2014scientists, educators, policymakers, artists, and community organizers\u2014who are leading the charge to safeguard their reef while ensuring economic prosperity for coastal communities. Told entirely through the voices of its participants without narration, the documentary creates an authentic, immersive portrait of resilience and hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy first visit to Belize in 2017 left an unforgettable imprint: vibrant reefs teeming with life, and the warmth and openness of the people who call this coastal haven home,\u201d said director Eladio Arvelo. \u201cThis film was born from a desire to elevate these voices\u2014especially those of Belizean women\u2014whose ingenuity, care, and quiet determination are shaping a more sustainable future for their communities and ecosystems alike.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film showcases how these women bring diverse perspectives and disciplines to their shared mission, challenging traditional ideas about leadership, environmental stewardship, and who gets to shape the future of natural resources. Their collaborative work addresses not just ecological pressures but also questions of community empowerment and identity in the face of environmental crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy greatest hope is that viewers come away feeling inspired\u2014not just by the challenges we face, but by the courage and creativity already rising to meet them,\u201d Arvelo noted. \u201cThis film is a reminder that local action can ripple outward into global change, and that we all have a role to play in restoring our connection with the natural world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phil Karp, the producer of \u201cWealth Untold\u201d and an ocean advocate, will be available for a post-film discussion to answer questions about the film\u2019s themes, ocean conservation challenges, and how viewers can get involved in marine advocacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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