Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL)

What agencies are responsible for monitoring water quality and supply in your community? What are the most important water challenges impacting residents? What solutions can help address these challenges? WELL is now recruiting for our next cohort of the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program. UnTapped is a selective, six-month program for local elected leaders that helps participants make an impact on California water policy while addressing individual community water challenges. UnTapped sessions are hosted in person, at various watersheds throughout California. Local elected officials, whether city council members, mayors, school board members, or elected water district directors, have an incredible influence on water policy and on the delivery of water to our communities. Further, once UnTapped fellows graduate from the program, they are inducted into the WELL UnTapped Network (WUN), where they can continue to engage in learning and training opportunities focused on California water policy. Having such an extensive network means that together we can make our communities more resilient in the face of ongoing water challenges. Contact us to learn more about the UnTapped Fellowship.

Are you ready to take your career to the next level and join a dynamic and passionate team dedicated to educating and training local elected Latino leaders about California water policy? Do you know of a talented individual that wants to develop a deep knowledge of California water issues and enhance their community organizing practices? WELL is hiring a new Civic and Political Engagement Manager for the Central Valley region! The Civic and Political Engagement Manager position is an educational and challenging opportunity for a highly motivated candidate to support a growing organization dedicated to its vision and the impact of its mission on California communities. In this full-time role, the Civic and Political Engagement Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing campaigns that advance WELL’s strategic priorities in collaboration with WELL’s leadership, key stakeholders, and community partners, including local elected officials. Visit the linkt.ree in our bio to learn more about this position. Apply Today!

How can local elected officials work with local, regional, and state agencies to align local water policy efforts with broader sustainability goals? How does the unique landscape of the San Gabriel Foothills support local water resource management? What is the Human Right to Water Act and what are the current challenges faced within the region? THIS SATURDAY: Join us for the next WELL UnTapped Legislative Water Workshop on Saturday, July 13, in Baldwin Park from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. This workshop is co-hosted by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio California State Assembly and Graduates of WELL’s UnTapped Fellowship Program, Ralph Galvan, President, Valley County Water District; Cesar Garcia, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Duarte; and Sergio Jimenez, J.D., M.B.A, City of Monrovia. You are invited to participate in an important discussion with other local elected officials and water industry experts about water issues impacting the region. Topics will include water resources and usage in the region, the history of contaminants in the region, and mitigation efforts to address them.  Elected officials should attend to gain a deep understanding of the water challenges in the region and develop new partnerships that support safe and affordable drinking water for all residents. The Workshop will be held this Saturday, July 13 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. This event is FREE and open to all local elected officials within CA Assembly District 48, continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register Here: https://lnkd.in/gZtcuuKv

Meet the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program Summer Class of 2024! After a competitive application process, we have selected 12 locally elected Latino leaders in California to embark on the UnTapped Fellowship program. This class comes from all areas of the state, yet they are united by their passion for water knowledge and supporting their communities. Over the next six months, beginning in July, these Fellows will embark on their water education journey to help them learn how to make an impact on California water policy while addressing their individual community water challenges. The UnTapped program creates an opportunity for local leaders to engage with water issues by exploring California's water history and governance, infrastructure, finance, and the impact of climate change on water supply and quality. This curriculum is taught through the lens of the human right to water, with eyes on diversity, equity, and inclusion within the water sector. To learn more about the UnTapped Summer Class of 2024, visit https://lnkd.in/gTDH7H_t We will also open applications for our Winter 2025 Cohort this month! To make sure you are notified when applications open, fill out the UnTapped Fellowship interest form in our linkt.ree as well! 

How does water get delivered to the San Gabriel Valley? What is the role of city council members to ensure safe and affordable water for their constituents? The next WELL UnTapped Legislative Water Workshop will be held Saturday, July 13, in Baldwin Park from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. This workshop is co-hosted by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio and Graduates of WELL’s UnTapped Fellowship Program, Ralph Galvan, President, Valley County Water District; Cesar Garcia, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Duarte; and Sergio P. Jimenez, City of Monrovia. You are invited to be a part of an important discussion with other local elected officials and water industry experts about water issues impacting the region. Topics will include water resources and usage in the region, and the history of contaminants in the region, and mitigation efforts to address them. Elected officials should attend to gain a deep understanding of the water challenges in the region and develop new partnerships that support safe and affordable drinking water for all residents. The Workshop will be held on Saturday, July 13 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. This event is FREE and open to all local elected officials within CA Assembly District 48, lunch will be provided. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gZtcuuKv

This past weekend, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California sponsored an inspection trip of the Hoover Dam and Colorado River for the WELL UnTapped Network (WUN). Attendees from each cohort were present and they came from throughout the state, including Northern California, Central Valley, Orange County, Coachella Valley, and Los Angeles County. The tour began at the Hoover Dam with a tour of the facility by the Bureau of Reclamation. Then they received a presentation by Shanti Rosset on the Colorado River, the Colorado Compact, and current issues on the river. On Day 2, WUN received a tour of Copper Basin, the William P. Whitsett Pumping Plant, and Parker Dam. Day 3 featured a presentation by Tina Anderholt Shields, PE, Water Department Manager, Imperial Irrigation District, on agricultural water usage in the Imperial Valley. The inspection trip allows local elected leaders to gain a better understanding of California’s complex water challenges and solutions. Thank you to MWD for sponsoring this trip. The WELL Untapped Network (WUN), is composed of 84 graduates of the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program. These are elected officials representing different regions and organizations. The WUN creates opportunities where WELLos can continue to engage in training opportunities focused on California water policy. This extensive network allows members to make their communities more resilient in the face of ongoing water challenges. Applications for the next cohort of the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program are still being accepted on a rolling basis. Apply using the link in our bio.

WELL UnTapped Fellowship Update:  WELL hosted the eighth, and final UnTapped Fellowship Session for the Class of 2024 in Sacramento, CA. The cohort gathered in Sacramento to meet with their legislators' offices to take the first steps in planning their legislative water workshops. WELL hosted a graduation dinner. In attendance, to celebrate the WELLos graduation were Anecita Agustinez, Executive Manager, the Office of Tribal Affairs, The California Department of Water Resources; Cindy Tuck, Deputy Executive Director, Association of California Water Agencies; Darryl Lucien, Executive Director, California African American Water Education Foundation;  Marc Grossman, Spokesperson, Cesar Chavez Foundation; and Victor Griego, President & Founder, WELL. On Day 2, the WELLos took a tour of the Delta with the first stop at the UC Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory to learn about conservation efforts for the Delta Smelt. The WELLos then visited the Big Break Regional Shoreline to learn more about the region and how water moves. The group then went to the Locke Historic District to hear the history of Chinese Immigrants' roles in shaping the Sacramento-San Joaquin  Delta. The final stop was at the town of Hood to discuss the Delta Conveyance Project with a resident. This session signifies the Fellowship’s end and the start of their work to help bring clean and affordable drinking water to their communities. The cohort will now begin working to host a legislative water workshop in their community with their planning committee over the next few months. The sixteen graduates are now part of the WELL UnTapped Network (WUN), bringing the total number of Fellowship graduates to 84-an array of CA local elected officials, including mayors, city council members, and school and water board members. The next UnTapped cohort begins its journey in July, we are still accepting applications on a rolling basis!

International Workers' Day, also known as Labor Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of laborers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labor movement and occurs every year on the first of May. ¡Si Se Puede!

Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Observed annually in May, AANHPI Heritage Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the remarkable role and contributions of the AANHPI community. 

WELL UnTapped Fellowship Update: On April 25, 2024, WELL hosted the sixth UnTapped Fellowship session virtually for the class of 2024. The fellows interviewed Clifford Chan, General Manager, EBMUD. This session focused on teaching Fellows about water finance. This topic will help educate the fellows about how to fund equitable water solutions.  The next UnTapped session will be held virtually on May 9 to help the fellows prepare for planning their WELL UnTapped Legislative Water Workshops. Want to learn more about the UnTapped Fellowship, please contact us at info@latinosforwater or visit our bio for additional program information.