Articles by Heather Gies

Heather Gies is a freelance journalist who writes about human rights, resource conflicts, and politics in Latin America. Follow her on Twitter: @HeatherGies [https://twitter.com/HeatherGies].

A small coral appears on a reef in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the Virgin Islands and the rest of the Caribbean, threats to coral ecosystems include climate change, storms, pollution, tourism, and fishing. Image courtesy of NOAA’s National Ocean Service via Wikimedia Commons.

U.S. Virgin Islands bans coral-damaging sunscreens

by Heather Gies 17 July 2019

Beachgoers in the U.S. Virgin Islands will be slathering on more ecologically friendly sunscreens next year after lawmakers voted to ban common chemical sunscreen ingredients that can damage coral reefs.…

Héctor Choc Cuz, right, poses with his brother. Choc Cuz, 18, was beaten to death on the edge of El Estor and died on March 31, 2018. Image courtesy of Angélica Choc.

Nephew of Maya land and rights activist beaten to death in Guatemala

by Heather Gies 27 April 2018

Héctor Manuel Choc Cuz, the nephew of prominent land rights activists, dreamed of becoming a professional mechanic when he got older. But the 18-year-old Maya Q’eqchi’ youth’s aspirations were cut…