We Are One Watershed

We are committed to engaging and learning from a diverse cross section of the community, including: Mexican, Indigenous, and Multigenerational communities with strong ties to the land; low-income community members; and people of all ages and gender identities in conservation and advocacy efforts.

Resolution #1: We will uplift all gender identities and fully value their contributions.

Action

Create universally inclusive spaces at our Living Lab & Learning Center through how we design our space and welcome people, including gender inclusive facilities, family-friendly bathrooms, and ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) culture building for staff and docents.

Action

Include all gender identities by sharing pronouns in our communications and honoring various forms of gender expression in the workplace and at events.

Action

Uplift groups that have been historically disempowered in the workforce, like working moms, by providing the opportunity to build leadership skills, fill leadership roles, and provide flexibility for working parents.

Resolution #2: We will embrace diversity within and without our organization.

Action

Create a diverse staff by offering opportunities and job pathways for all individuals through how we recruit, engage, train, and onboard interns, docents, staff, and board members.

Action

Design outreach and education activities specifically for Latinx communities in Southern Arizona through Spanish outreach materials, Spanish education activities, and activities in Latinx neighborhoods.

Action

Acknowledge and learn from the Native American experience by collaboratively creating opportunities for guest presenters, partner dialogue, and collaboration on restoration projects.

Resolution #3: We will expand efforts to serve culturally rich, limited-income communities.

Action

Build stronger connections with nearby limited-income communities to see the Living Lab as an asset and their green space through Family Saturdays.

Action

Make rain garden resources accessible by eliminating barriers to materials through the Basins and Shade: Invigorating Neighborhood Sustainability (BASINS) program.

Action

To build trust in our community, meet community members where they're at, and bring our programming to their neighborhoods.

Action

Offer paid internships for underserved populations to serve as an entry point to the nonprofit sector through the WaterWRLD Program.

Action

Plan River Run Network events in locations that serve limited-income neighborhoods and partnering with community leaders whenever possible.

Resolution #4: We will work towards collaborative conservation projects and policy making to restore our rivers and improve watershed health.

Action

Co-lead Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative to ensure diverse representation and inclusive culture, including governmental, Tribal, NGO, and industry partners, working towards the vision of "people working together to ensure a healthy urban watershed with flowing rivers and streams."

Action

Engage and learn from a diverse cross section of the community including Mexican, Indigenous, and Multigenerational communities with strong ties to the land, in conservation and advocacy efforts through the River Run Network, to value and steward flowing rivers and watershed health.

Action

Expand Release The Beavers campaign through binational collaboration, including annual beaver survey and watershed restoration projects with NGO and agency partners in Arizona and Mexico.