Health, Science, Environment

It’s crab season in California, and commercial fishermen can’t unload their catches fast enough to satisfy the crowds filling Fisherman’s Wharf. But out on the public piers behind the Embarcadero, away from the big boats, you’ll find a different breed of fisherman. They set out their poles, unroll their lines, add some bait, and wait quietly for dinner to arrive.

One of the most imminent effects of climate change is sea level rise – especially in low-lying coastal areas like the San Francisco Bay. To documentarian Claire Schoen, this story isn’t about the science of what’s going to happen. That part is settled. She says the question is how we’re going to adapt.

KALW’s Ben Trefny sat down with Schoen to discuss her latest documentary about climate change, RISE.

BEN TREFNY: What inspired you to make this documentary?

Many Middle Eastern refugees are Iraqis who have fled war-related violence. But in the past decade, the largest number of refugees have actually come from Iran.

More than 15,000 Iranians have moved to California just since 2006. Though their country isn’t currently at war, many Iranians suffer religious and political persecution. And they face many of the same social and cultural taboos about seeking mental healthcare as Iraqi refugees.