Derrick Evans

Derrick Evans is a 6th generation native of Turkey Creek, a coastal Mississippi community settled in 1866 by his freed African-American ancestors. An historian, environmentalist and educator, he founded Turkey Creek Community Initiatives in 2003 to defend and restore his endangered community from redevelopment and casino-driven sprawl. Since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 Derrick and his colleagues advocate widely for healthy and sustainable recovery of the Gulf Coast’s most vulnerable people and community assets. Derrick is an Advisor of the Gulf Coast Fund (GCF) for Ecological Health and Community Renewal. He serves as a founding Advisor for the GCF which has provided $2.7 million in grants, technical assistance and support to over 170 coastal groups and organizations. Since the BP Oil drilling disaster in 2010, Derrick has continued to work to empower their communities and to strengthen and unify the Gulf Coast’s historically disenfranchised voices.