Activist Spotlight: Tommy Shilts With the Coastal Bend Chapter

What is your current role with the Surfrider Foundation and why did you choose to get involved?

I am the Lead Coordinator of the Blue Water Task Force for the Coastal Bend Chapter in Corpus Christi, Texas.

I first got involved in 2010 when Cliff Schlabach, founder of the chapter and legendary surfer and activist, invited me to a meeting. After attending several, I received the opportunity to earn certification from the National Oil Spill Control School, and began to monitor our local beaches for oil and tar. That was 16 years ago, and here we are!

What are some local environmental issues that you have witnessed?

The Corpus Christi area in South Texas is a major hub for oil, gas, refining, and chemical manufacturing. The port is one of the nation's largest, by tonnage. The Coastal Bend area also has a significant amount of agriculture and ranching. There are many threats occurring — industrial air pollution, agricultural runoff, growing water scarcity, rising fecal bacteria levels, beach erosion, and increasing plastic and nurdle pollution.

Tap the image above to see Shilts featured in a KIII news segment on plastic pollution.

What Surfrider projects have you been involved with? How have these projects impacted your community?

I have been involved in beach cleanups, our Make Promises Happen Surf Camp, the Don't Mess With Texas Beaches campaign, the Save the Wave campaign to preserve a classic hollow surf break at Bob Hall Pier, and heading up our local Blue Water Task Force.

Our beach cleanups really bring the community together to beautify our beaches. Our annual Make Promises Happen Surf Camp (for our friends with disabilities) unites the community together for a great cause — many of our campers have been returning to surf for years. Our Don't Mess with Texas Beaches campaign fights to preserve beach access for all Texans, which is protected by our state constitution. Our Blue Water Task Force program was designed to help spread awareness about water quality and get the word out about dangerous bacteria in the water to protect recreational beach users.

Shilts (second from right) with the rest of the Coastal Bend Chapter

Do you have any personal experiences where the social justice and environmental movements have intersected?

Boca Chica Beach in South Texas is across the jetties from South Padre Island and has been used for decades by underrepresented Hispanic residents of a city called Brownsville. Texas residents are guaranteed beach access by our state constitution, but SpaceX found a way to privatize Boca Beach, granting them the ability to close it down whenever they felt like it was necessary. Families have been using Boca Chica Beach for generations and the next available beach is a considerable difference in distance and cost, shutting out a large part of the population from enjoying the beach.

Every couple of years someone tries to slip something into a bill to privatize the beaches. This is why we fight so hard with our Don't Mess with Texas Beaches campaign!

Schilts educates local youth about water quality sampling.

What is the most important thing you tell others about Surfrider?

For most of us the ocean is our happy place and the Surfrider Foundation is a great place to meet like-minded people that love the ocean and want to help protect and preserve it!

What has been the highlight of your Surfrider experience?

So many high points! The opportunity to work with Neil McQueen, our chapter co-chair, and start the first Blue Water Task Force water testing program in the Gulf. I still remember the day Neil called me to tell me we finally got our pin on the Blue Water Task Force site map!

Also every year the opportunity to be involved with the Make Promises Happen Surf Camp. It was started 27 years ago by our Co-Chair Cliff and his wife RoxAnne. So much stoke with everyone involved!

Thanks so much, Tommy! Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would just like to thank the Surfrider Foundation for their support and being such a great vehicle for change. I would also like to thank our volunteers because without them none of this would be happening!