On a remote island in the Chesapeake Bay, a deeply rooted Christian fishing community grapples with the quiet erosion of their land and their traditions. Their centuries-old way of life, sustained by faith and the rhythms of the bay, is now at a poignant crossroads—one that may force them from the only home they’ve ever known.
Been Here Stay Here is a quiet, immersive portrait of Tangier Island, a centuries-old Christian fishing community in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Long used as a symbol in the national climate conversation, Tangier is often portrayed through a lens of skepticism or scorn—framed as “America’s first climate casualty” and written off as a place in denial. This film offers another way in. With no experts, voiceovers, or statistics, Been Here Stay Here invites viewers into the lived experience of the island’s residents—through faith, memory, and the rhythms of daily life. By stepping away from spectacle and alarm, the film allows the community to speak on its own terms, revealing not denial but devotion: to place, to faith, and to a way of life that refuses easy categorization.
At its heart, the film is about what it means to belong to a disappearing place. The island has lost more than two-thirds of its landmass since the 1850s. Water laps at doorsteps. Graves fall into the sea. But the people stay—tethered by spirituality, generational memory, and a quiet stewardship rarely recognized by mainstream environmental discourse. For many, climate change isn’t a hoax, nor is it central—it’s simply not the frame they use. Rather than explain away these differences, Been Here Stay Here lingers inside them. Inspired by the work of climate scientist and Evangelical Christian Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, the film models a conversation rooted in relationship, not rhetoric. In the end, it’s less about the water at the doorstep than it is about what rises within us when we choose to listen, stay, and understand.
THE ISSUE
As challenges mount for thousands of American communities, the need for unity and shared purpose has never been more urgent. Tangier Island stands as both a wake-up call and an opportunity for reflection. Yet, in a nation increasingly divided over issues of faith, identity, public health, and the environment, finding common ground often feels elusive. Too often, rigid polarization overshadows the moral complexity needed for true understanding and collaboration.
Been Here Stay Here is not just a story about an island; it’s a story about faith in action and the power of community to illuminate a path forward. Through the lives of Tangier’s deeply rooted, faith-driven residents, the film explores how stewardship of the land and care for one another can bridge divides and spark conversations that transcend politics. Inspired by the work of Christian leaders like Katharine Hayhoe and the Evangelical Environmental Network, it speaks to a shared calling to protect the places and people we love, reflecting God’s command to care for one another with compassion and purpose.
The narrative arc of Been Here Stay Here doesn’t just document the physical erosion of the island but also delves into the erosion of certainty—the spiritual and emotional challenges of grappling with an uncertain future. It asks us to listen, to reflect, and to seek the compassion and courage needed to face these challenges together. This is not a story of blame but of invitation—an invitation to find our shared humanity, to respond with love and responsibility, and to recognize that the solutions to the challenges we face begin with the faith and hope that unite us all.
THE CAST
For nearly 15 years, Ooker has been the island’s public face serving as their mayor. This position he might say is in title only. In the local parlance he is what they call a “stay here” – a name reserved for those who have roots that go back at least two generations. As an 8th generation Tangierman, he has more than qualified. He learned his trade from his father, who learned from his father — seven times over. And his two sons have learned from him.
His priority as the island’s mayor has been to help get the word out about their plight. Funding for their sea wall he argues will only come if people know and understand what they’re up against.
He maintains that he hasn’t seen any noticeable rise in the sea level and that their primary threat remains to be coastal erosion, which he says is, “threatening to take them away”. He has no plans to relocate.
JAMES “OOKER” ESKRIDGE
Cameron Evans is a Tangier Island native who is currently studying at Virginia Wesleyan University. Ask the old-timers on the island who among the island’s boys reminds them most of themselves coming up, and they’d tell you it’s Cameron. As a kid, he earned pocket money busting up blue crabs for the mayor. And over the years he has developed an extrasensory ability to read the water. He has mud between his toes, as the islanders say.
As graduation nears he is caught between his potential new life on the mainland or maintaining his familiar life on Tangier. His dilemma is familiar on the island and one of the main reasons the community has become so small — the younger generation see’s no opportunity at home and most have already been forced to move away. As the newest member of the town council, we’ll see Cameron as an advocate for change, as he himself considers whether to stay or go.
CAMERON EVANS
Seven-year-old Jacob embodies the spirit of Tangier Island, living on Hog’s Ridge with his father, Allen—a native son of Tangier and a lifelong commercial crabber—his mother, and his two-year-old brother, Judah. His childhood unfolds in a place that seems untouched by the relentless pace of the outside world, a life many imagine as lost to time.
Through Jacob, we step into a world shaped by tides and tradition, where generations of Tangier’s fishing practices continue in the simple, practiced ways of father and son. Jacob moves through his days unburdened by what lies ahead, exploring the world around him with the curious eyes of a child. Through his gaze, we glimpse the simple beauty of Tangier’s way of life, balanced against an uncertain future.
JACOB PARKS