Tag Archives: Cultural Protection Overlay District

Gullah/Geechee Cultural Protection Overlay District Supporters File Court Motions

On August 3, 2023 during “Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week,” four groups filed independent motions to intervene to defend Beaufort County’s denial of plans for three (3) 6-hole golf courses on St. Helena Island in the appeal initiated by Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC. The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition (filed by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project), The Penn Center (represented by Jack Smith of Nelson Mullins), Coastal Conservation League (represented by Ross Appel of McCullough Khan Appel), and individual landowners Leon and Joan Heyward and Robert New are fighting to uphold the Cultural Protection Overlay District zoning law.

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Celebrate St. Helena Island’s Gullah/Geechee Cultural Protection Overlay District Saturday, May 27th!

We STOOD UP for Gullah/Geechee people, self-sufficiency, cultural heritage, and rural lands. We STRENGTHENED the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay!

We thank you for joining this fight for the soul of our sea islands. Now, we invite you to celebrate a victory by attending the celebration on Saturday, May 27th!

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Celebrating St. Helena De Gullah/Geechee Epicenter

Interestingly enough, I never drew the connection between helping write and establish the Cultural Protection Overlay District law and the fact that it took place the same year that I made world history by taking the human rights of my people before the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland until I just typed out the year. I did reflect on the fact that on my UN anniversary this year (April 1st), I was leading the “Coastal Cultures Conference” and sitting amongst national leaders focused on assisting with protecting the rich environment of St. Helena Island and helping the island to be even more resilient. The Gullah/Geechee Nation Sustainability Plan calls for us to ensure that the mission of the Gullah/Geechee Nation is adhered to and that we protect our people by enhancing their quality of life. We can only do this by protecting and improving the land and water quality and lessening the stress of them having to fight to keep protecting themselves and their homeland. Yet, as our ancestors did, we find ourselves on a battlefield once again protecting our rights as was done during the US Civil War, the Jim Crow Era and the Civil Rights Movement. I am proud to be in the number leading the human rights movement!

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The Fight for Black and Gullah/Geechee Freedom

I heard myself with throngs of ancestors singing “Fight on just a little while longer! Pray on just a little while longer! Hold on just a little while longer!” I rested in that moment knowing that the ancestors were tapping their children’s children’s children on the shoulders (and some in the head) awakening them to join in the fight. To take a stand for Gullah/Geechee land! WE BINYA and ain’t gwine nowhey!

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Protect the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Protection Overlay for St. Helena Island

We are calling on you to stand with the Gullah/Geechees of St. Helena Island to protect our cultural heritage and the sustainability of our island!  Tell Beaufort County to keep the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay District in tact as it is!  DO NOT provided any text changes to the CPO!  DO NOT allow any map amendments to the CPO District!  DO NOT allow any building on Pine Island!  Stop the destructionment of historic St. Helena and Pine Islands in the Gullah/Geechee Nation and continue to protect the human and environmental rights of native Gullah/Geechees!

Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/GullahGeecheeCulturalProtectionOverlay

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