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July 2023 Newsletter

What’s New With WELL

  • Nine Local Elected Leaders Begin Their Water Education Journey in the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program: Nine WELL fellows traveled to Los Angeles to learn about water contamination, clean-up efforts, and the LA River.
  • President, and Founder Victor Griego Joined an Australian Delegation to Learn about Policies and Technologies Being Implemented to Combat the Effects of Climate Change: Victor Griego was invited by Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resource Department, to join several leaders in Australia to learn more about how to make an impact on climate change in California. 
  • WELL Staff Welcomes New Interns: Two new interns joined the WELL team to learn and support our efforts in educating local elected Latino leaders. 
  • WELLos Spotlight: As our WELLos continue their leadership roles and enact positive change, we highlight their efforts to embody WELL’s mission.
  • Partner Spotlight:  Learn about new collaborations, major achievements, and what our partners are doing in California in the water sector.
  • California Water News: Catch some of the latest noteworthy water news from the month of July.
  • WELL Associate Members: Want to support WELL’s mission? Become an Associate Member today! View our current members and find out more about the process in the link below.

July Newsletter Commentary:

Throughout the state of California, communities faced several episodes of extreme weather this month, and July is likely to be remembered as Earth’s hottest month on record. The chief of the United Nations recently stated, “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.” Global boiling means that the planet has crossed a threshold where the term “global warming” no longer captures the scale of the situation. Though global boiling is not a scientific term, it brings awareness to the speed at which our resources are being vastly depleted and the impacts climate change is having on our communities. 

In the midst of this ongoing crisis, Latinos are disproportionately affected by climate-driven extreme weather. The EPA estimates that Hispanic and Latino people are upwards of  40% more likely to live in places where it will frequently be too hot to work a full day outside.

This is why it is important for our local elected Latino leaders to learn about the most important resource in California being affected by this extreme weather: water. Water is at the focal point of our local economies and our public health. With these extreme weather events becoming more frequent, it is important now more than ever for local Latino elected officials to learn about the water challenges happening in their communities and throughout the state. That is why this year and moving forward we will be hosting two WELL UnTapped Fellowship Programs per year. The WELL AAPI UnTapped Fellowship Program hosted its first session in Los Angeles this July, and we are opening applications for the next cohort! You can find more information about this opportunity below.

¡Sí Se Puede!

                                                 

Victor Griego                                                   Paul C. Hernandez
Founder and Board President                     Executive Director

Throughout the state of California, communities faced several episodes of extreme weather this month, and July is likely to be remembered as Earth’s hottest month on record. The chief of the United Nations recently stated, “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.” Global boiling means that the planet has crossed a threshold where the term “global warming” no longer captures the scale of the situation. Though global boiling is not a scientific term, it brings awareness to the speed at which our resources are being vastly depleted and the impacts climate change is having on our communities. 

In the midst of this ongoing crisis, Latinos are disproportionately affected by climate-driven extreme weather. The EPA estimates that Hispanic and Latino people are upwards of  40% more likely to live in places where it will frequently be too hot to work a full day outside.

This is why it is important for our local elected Latino leaders to learn about the most important resource in California being affected by this extreme weather: water. Water is at the focal point of our local economies and our public health. With these extreme weather events becoming more frequent, it is important now more than ever for local Latino elected officials to learn about the water challenges happening in their communities and throughout the state. That is why this year and moving forward we will be hosting two WELL UnTapped Fellowship Programs per year. The WELL AAPI UnTapped Fellowship Program hosted its first session in Los Angeles this July, and we are opening applications for the next cohort! You can find more information about this opportunity below.

WELL UnTapped Fellowship 2024 Session Dates:

  • In-person: Friday, January 19 – Sunday, January 21, 2024
  • In-person: Friday, February 9 – Saturday, February 10, 2024
  • Virtual #1: Thursday, February 29, 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
  • WELL Annual Conference, March 2024
  • Virtual #2: Thursday, March 28, 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
  • In-person: Friday, April 12 – Saturday, April 13, 2024
  • Virtual #3: Thursday, April 25, 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
  • Virtual #4: Thursday, May 9, 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
  • Sacramento: Wednesday, May 22 – Thursday, May 23, 2024

Click here to apply. 

WELL-AAPI UnTapped Fellowship Session 1

The first session of the WELL-AAPI UnTapped Fellowship Class of 2023 was held in Los Angeles July 21–23. This cohort is composed of nine fellows who represent various areas of California, including the LA, Northern California, and Central Valley regions. 

These fellows embarked on this journey to learn how to impact California’s water policy while addressing their individual community water challenges. The first session focused on teaching fellows how to use the WELL Method of Inquiry to extract the information needed to make complex choices about water policy and management. They also visited various locations in the LA region and interviewed guests to learn about community water challenges and the history of water and contaminants in the area. 

Guest Interviewees included Mike Eng, Director, San Gabriel Valley Water District, and Former Assemblymember; James Cortes-Rivera, DayOne; Reyna Mendez, Community Activist in the City of Maywood; Tara Robinson, Water Resources Specialist, Valley County Water District; and Joone Kim Lopez, General Manager, Moulton Niguel Water District, and Boardmember, WELL. 

Fellows interviewed these guests to learn about the Human Right to Water Act, contaminants in the region, and the water quality issues faced by the region’s residents. 

These interviews included on-site visits to the Lante Treatment Plant of Valley County Water District and the Los Angeles River. Fellows also received a lesson on California water history from Professor Samuel Sandoval Solis, Policy and Curriculum Advisor, WELL, to better understand the complexity of water issues in our state. Peter Chan, WELL UnTapped Graduate Class of 2018 also gave a lecture on the impact of Chinese Americans on agriculture in California. Finally, Dr. Pablo Ortiz, Science and Curriculum Advisor, WELL, taught the fellows a lesson on Hydrology and the impacts of climate change on our water resources. 

The next session will be held in the Owens Valley.

Victor Griego, President, and Founder, WELL Invited to a Research and Trade Delegation in Australia

Victor Griego, President and Founder of WELL, was invited by Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Department of Natural Resources, to a research and trade delegation in Australia. 

Australia shares similar climate and water challenges as California, including drought, floods, and wildfires. The objective of this delegation is to learn about what technologies and policies are being implemented to combat our similar issues. In attendance were Martin L. Adams, General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), as well as Boardmembers from LADWP.

WELL Welcomes Two Interns for Summer 2023

In July, WELL staff was joined by two student leaders as part of WELL’s Summer Internship Program. During their time with WELL, they will help us further our mission to educate and train local elected Latino leaders.

Read below for a background on our student interns and the work they are doing in their communities.

Cynthia Alvarez: This bright student is completing her bachelor’s degree at UCLA where she will graduate with a double major in Sociology and Geography/Environmental Studies in Spring 2024. Cynthia is involved in campus organizations that aim to support and create a sense of community for Latinos in higher education, such as Hermanas Unidas. Her passion for exploring environmental injustices as well as supporting her community has guided her education and ultimately influenced her choice in interning at WELL. She plans to continue in this field by becoming an environmental lawyer.Laura Aquino: During her time at WELL, Laura is looking to learn about the intricacies of water policy. She seeks to understand the challenges of water quality, scarcity, and equitable distribution that California faces. By engaging with these complexities, Laura aims to enhance her understanding of water management and gain the skills necessary to educate others on water policy matters. She is a third-year student at UCLA, where she is studying Political Science and International Development Studies with a minor in Chicano/a Studies. She aspires to attend law school after her undergraduate years to become an immigration lawyer or work in the public policy sector.

WELL Partner Highlights

Gracie Torres, Director, Western Municipal Water District, and WELL UnTapped Fellowship Graduate, Class of 2019: Director Torres is also the President and Co-Founder of IE Works. IE Works is an Inland Empire Black Worker Center initiative that prioritizes the respect and dignity of Black workers while preparing them for a career in the wastewater industry.  The program was recently highlighted in a report by the UCLA Luskin Center titled, “Unlocking Potential: The Inland Empire Black Worker Center’s Transformative IE Works Program.” The report found that there are several key contributing factors to the program’s success: a strong sense of belonging in the community, wraparound support, and strategic partnerships. Click here to read the full report. 

Brenda Olmos, Councilmember, City of Paramount, and WELL UnTapped Fellowship Graduate, Class of 2023: As Chair of the Paramount Historical Society and Heritage Parade, Councilmember Olmos helped to plan and coordinate the 2023 Paramount Heritage Parade. This parade helps to build a strong community spirit and celebrate the different cultures within the city.

Oscar Ortiz, Mayor, City of Indio, and WELL UnTapped Fellowship Graduate, Class of 2022: Mayor Ortiz was featured on the Angel Chavez podcast to talk about developments in the City of Indio, the Coachella Valley, and the region. He also spoke about his role as the Director of Education for the Friends of the Desert Mountains. Additionally, Mayor Ortiz discussed the climate, energy, and water challenges of the region. Click here to view the full episode. 

Jim Crawford, District Manager, California Water Service, and WELL UnTapped Fellowship Graduate, Class of 2022: Director Crawford was appointed to serve as an at-large member of the Central Basin Municipal Water District. Crawford will represent the District’s largest imported water purveyors.

WELL Partner Highlights

AARP California: AARP California hosts a podcast that focuses on issues impacting Californians of all ages. In a recent episode, Dr. Gordon was joined by AARP’s Dr. Rodney Harrell to discuss the AARP Liability Index and how listeners can leverage this resource to enhance personal living conditions and contribute to the overall livability of their communities. One of the metrics of the index is drinking water quality.  Click here to listen. 

California American Water: California American Water’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) program captured excess winter rainwater from the Carmel River and injected 1,656.42 acre-feet of water into the Seaside Basin this winter. The stored water will help alleviate water needs during future dry periods without rain and will reduce future reliance on the Carmel River and Seaside Basin. This is the second-highest ASR injection season since the program began. Click here to read more. 

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD): State officials presented an $80 million check MWD on July 19, to help advance Pure Water Southern California, a large-scale, regional water recycling program that will create a new source of water to benefit 19 million people amid a changing climate and the resulting “weather whiplash.” Metropolitan and the Sanitation Districts are partnering to accelerate the project’s design and construction, with the potential to begin construction as early as 2025 and for water deliveries to start in 2032. Click here to learn more. 

California Water News—July

Worried you may have missed some important recent water news? WELL has you covered! Here is a sample of noteworthy water news during the month of July.

Follow WELL on Social Media!

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 Water Education for Latino Leaders

Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) educates local Latino elected officials on California water policies to promote timely and equitable actions that strive to develop a robust economy, healthy communities, and a resilient environment for all Californians. Visit our website: www.latinosforwater.org.

WELL Associate Members

The WELL Associate Member program, established in 2020, connects organizations to Latino leaders who share similar interests, allowing members to strategize about the best ways to solve California’s water challenges. The participation of our Associate Members is a key component of our mutual continued success. We thank our Associate Members, listed below, for their support. If you would like to learn more about the Associate Member Program, please visit latinosforwater.org/associatemembers.