Tina said of her experience as 2019 Eco-Poet:

“The fellowship is such an amazing outreach and inspiration. Because of it, I have had many opportunities to connect and work with river activists. Not only have I collaborated with the CRS to create eco-poetry curriculum and videos, we also collaborated on a writing workshop as part of UAB's writers series that we held at the Cahaba River. I was invited to read at the Cahaba River Society's annual meeting. The fellowship has opened doors for me to read poetry at the last two annual Environmental Dinners organized by Vickey Wheeler and for the Alabama River Alliance's 2020 Water Rally.  I was also asked to lead a poetry writing hike for the Friends of the Locust Fork and to help them develop a poetry contest to support their efforts.

The Eco Poetry fellowship encouraged me to attend the ADEM's open hearing concerning Tyson's request to renew its permit to dump wastewater into the Locust Fork. That event inspired me to write an editorial titled "We Are River People" for al.com. I have recently joined the board for The Friends of the Big Canoe Creek. All of this is to say that I deeply appreciate the honor of being the first Eco-Fellow for the MCPF.  It has deepened and broadened my understanding of my purpose as a poet, a lover of waterways, and a person. For that, I'll be forever grateful.”