In 2014, the Wilmington chapter of Black Lives Matter (BLM) was started on the heels of four fatalities over 90 days. One of these deaths was Brandon Smith—accused of shooting a police officer in the Creekwood neighborhood before being shot 27 times three days later by New Hanover County Sheriff’s deputies and an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Gwenyfar Rohler asks what would our community conversations look like if that intense energy were channeled into local issues like healthcare equity, access to education, the school-to-prison pipeline, and cash bail?

Before WECT's 'To Drill or Not to Drill?' debate began, encore asked speaker Jean-Michel Cousteau two questions. His answers are published here in their entirety.