Philip Simmons’ family has lived in Empire, Louisiana since the late 1700s. Philip carries on the family tradition of working the land: hunting, fishing, shrimping, oystering, and grazing cattle in the marshes not far from the mouth of the Mississippi River. At 67, Philip has faced many challenges living in south Louisiana. He has rebuilt his house three times – after 1965’s Hurricane Betsy, 1969’s Hurricane Camille, and 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. He has watched the wetlands erode and fish and wildlife populations decrease. He told me the oil spill means he won’t be able to harvest oysters or shrimp or fish this year, and probably for years to come. Still, he can’t imagine leaving Empire.

In this clip, Philip remembers fishing in the marshes as a boy, and the different values he saw around him then.