Nonprofits host free screening

“Island in the Sky” educates about threatened Conglomerate Mesa landscape; panel discussion to follow

Friends of the Inyo, in collaboration with the Conglomerate Mesa Coalition, is inviting the public to a thought-provoking and informative evening on Wednesday, Oct. 4, as they host a free, virtual screening of the documentary “Island in the Sky.” The 20-minute short documentary, produced with funding from the Patagonia retail company, examines the potentially destructive impacts of gold mining on Conglomerate Mesa and the Southern

Inyo desert lands surrounding it, which are considered sacred by Paiute, Shoshone, and Timbisha Shoshone people. “Island in the Sky” pays special attention to the most recent proposal for mining in the region by Canadian company K2 Gold.

The virtual event will take place from

7 – 8:30 p.m. and will begin with a showing of the film, to be followed by a panel discussion with local experts, all of whom also appear in “Island in the Sky”: Kathy Jefferson Bancroft (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Lone Pine Paiute-shoshone

Tribe), Kris Hohag (Indigenous Activist/ Senior Field Organizer, Sierra Club),

Mike Prather (Lone Pine resident, Sierra Club desert activist, Audubon Owens Lake wildlife advocate), Tom Budlong (activist), and Wendy Schneider (Executive Director, Friends of the Inyo).

“Our beautiful southern Inyo County lands are under attack,” FOI Executive Director Wendy Schneider said. “We encourage everyone to come out and learn about this threat and how you can help,” she said.

This event provides an excellent opportunity for concerned citizens, community members, and environmental advocates to