March 2021 Newsletter

WELL Webinar TOMORROW! The Balancing Act of Water & Agriculture in CA

The agriculture industry in California is pivotal not only to state residents, but also to the entire country at large. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, over a third of the vegetables produced in the US come from California, as well as two-thirds of the nation’s fruits and nuts. Without this state’s agriculture industry, many of the produce and dairy we have grown accustomed to having year-round would increasingly be in short supply. At the same time, however, more than 40% of California’s water is used by the agriculture industry. This pressure on the state’s water supply contributes to drought, exacerbates climate change, and impacts regional and state economies, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At the local level, water allocation to agriculture may compete with community resources. The right to safe and affordable drinking water continues to be unrealized for rural and immigrant farmworker communities, even as they continue to perform essential work in our economy and feed our communities.

In this upcoming WELL Webinar, The Balancing Act of Water & Ag in California, we bring together experts in the agriculture industry from a variety of regions–from the Delta to the Central and Coachella Valleys–to discuss the relationship between water and agriculture in the state and explore environmental, social, and policy solutions that will help restore the balance between these two important resources. Register here to join us on April 1 from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm.

While it is our priority to make our educational content free and accessible to all, WELL is funded in part by your generous donations. Please consider supporting this WELL Webinar by making a donation upon registering. Our suggested donation is $25, but we will gratefully accept anything you are able to give. Every dollar counts, and we appreciate your support!

Thank you to our WELL Webinar Sponsors!

Glen Dake Landscape Architects

WELL would like to give a special thanks to our sponsors for supporting the upcoming WELL Webinar on April 1. Your generosity makes this event possible, and we appreciate your unending support.

WELL 2021 Virtual Conference: Water, Jobs, and a Post-COVID California Economy

The WELL 2021 Virtual Conference, scheduled for Thursday, May 27 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., aims to bring the link between water and the economy into the spotlight. As the world remains focused on the ongoing pandemic and subsequent economic challenges, WELL will highlight how water plays a pivotal role in the state’s economic recovery. We believe investments in water infrastructure will not only help mitigate climate change impacts and improve water security across the state, but will also help local governments get people back to work, something desperately needed to get back to pre-COVID economic levels.

WELL will also look at the Human Right to Water through a COVID lens, breaking down water utility debt and the sunsetting moratorium on water bills for struggling families. The right to safe and affordable drinking water for our rural communities and farmworkers continues to be neglected, even as their importance to our economy soars to greater heights. Additionally, WELL will refocus attention on the growing water issues that existed long before the pandemic and have become exacerbated due to climate change: drought and the Colorado River, water contaminants such as PFAS and TCP, and natural disasters like floods and fire.

This all-encompassing conference, aptly themed Water, Jobs, and a Post-COVID California Economy, will leave people with this key takeaway: Water is a gift, and if cared for properly, it can play an important role in the state’s most pressing economic and social problems.

Join WELL for this urgent and informative conference by registering here or on our website at latinosforwater.org/conferences.

While it is our priority to make our educational content free and accessible to all, WELL is funded in part by your generous donations. Please consider supporting this WELL Virtual Conference by making a donation upon registering. Our suggested donation is $50, but we will gratefully accept anything you are able to give. Every dollar counts, and we appreciate your support!

Thanks to our first WELL 2021 Virtual Conference Sponsor!

WELL would like to give a special thanks to our sponsors for being the first organization to support the upcoming WELL 2021 Virtual Conference. If you would like to join them in sponsoring this annual event for local elected officials, please contact Brianne Logasa at brianne@latinosforwater.org.

Follow WELL on Social Media!

Follow WELL on social media to get current California water news and updates about WELL programs and events:

Water Education for Latino Leaders

@LatinosForWater

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 is Hiring!

WELL is on the search for its new Executive Director. This position provides a unique and challenging opportunity to take the helm of this growing organization that is dedicated to supporting California communities. Please share the following position description with anyone you feel may be interested and/or qualified for this position.

About WELL

Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL), established in 2012, is on a mission to educate local Latino elected officials about water issues in order to promote timely and equitable policies and actions that support a robust economy, healthy communities, and a resilient environment for all Californians. WELL hosts annual conferences, regional workshops, and fellowship programs to educate elected leaders about the most pressing water issues in California. Participants of these programs eventually become the volunteer leadership of WELL. To know more about these programs and WELL, please go to www.latinosforwater.org.

Executive Director Position Description

The Executive Director position provides a unique and challenging opportunity for an experienced and self-motivated candidate to take the helm of a growing organization dedicated to its vision and the impact of its mission on California communities. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have overall operational responsibility for WELL’s staff, programs, fundraising, and administrative and financial strategies. She/he will develop deep knowledge of California water issues, WELL fundraising, and all operational plans.

Responsibilities, Leadership, and Management:

Ensure daily implementation of WELL fundraising, administrative, and financial programs.
Oversee WELL educational training and communication programs.
Engage and energize WELL’s volunteers, board members, event committees, WELLos (WELL fellows), partnering organizations, and funders.
Develop, maintain, and support strong relationships with the Board of Directors; serve as ex-officio of each working committee; seek and build board involvement with strategic direction.
Ensure effective systems to track program implementation and regularly evaluate program components to measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, and other constituents.
Lead, develop, and motivate staff.
Work effectively with partner organizations.

Fundraising and Communications:

Maintain and expand revenue-generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations and regional expansion.
Deepen and refine all aspects of communication—from web presence to external relations—with the goal of creating a stronger brand.
Be an external voice and presence to local and statewide entities that can publish and communicate WELL programs.

Planning and New Business:

Lead the update and implementation of WELL’s strategic plan.
Design and complete the strategic operational plans for program and organizational expansion.
Enhance successful partnerships with current and future funders and political and community leaders.
Use external presence and relationships to garner new opportunities.

Qualifications

The ED will be thoroughly committed to WELL’s mission. All candidates should have proven experience in leadership, coaching, relationship building, and management.

Specific requirements include:

At least five years of related management experience.
Four-year college degree in a related field.
Experience in effectively leading a regional and/or statewide organization.
Excellence in organizational management with the ability to recruit, lead, and coach staff.
Ability to develop high-performance teams by setting and achieving strategic objectives.
Provide specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies that have taken an organization to the next stage of growth.
Ability to recruit and train local elected officials.
Ability to develop and execute fundraising plans.
Experience developing and managing an organizational budget.
Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships.
Strong marketing and public relations experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
Strong written and verbal communications skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
Entrepreneurial and innovative organizational experience.
Experience in making a difference in a significant organizational endeavor or initiative.
Ability to drive or fly throughout California.
Committed to the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

Salary

$95,000–$105,000/annual, depending on experience. Generous health and welfare benefits.

How to Apply

Submit your CV/resume and letter of interest here.
Applications will be received until the appropriate candidate is selected.
For more information about WELL, visit www.latinosforwater.org

World Water Day

Monday, March 22nd marked World Water Day, a day to celebrate our water resources around the world, but also to support those who still lack access to safe and clean drinking water. In California alone, there are one million people who do not have clean water access. It’s important to remember on World Water Day and every other day that water is a human right and that we must continue to seek out equitable and sustainable solutions to ensure water for everyone within the state and beyond.

WELLo Spotlights

Denise Diaz, Council Member for the City of South Gate and WELL UnTapped graduate of 2019, teamed up with other Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) leaders, to form SELA United, a coalition to support SELA families through the COVID pandemic. Together they were able to secure 2,000 vaccines from CA Governor Gavin Newsom and FEMA specifically for SELA residents. SELA communities, including the cities of Commerce, Lynwood, Bell, Bell Gardens, South Gate, and Maywood (to name a few) have been disproportionately impacted by the virus, yet disproportionately under-vaccinated. To learn more about SELA United and its vaccine efforts, click here. Great work serving your community, Denise!

Marta Cruz, Vice Mayor for the City of Cloverdale and WELL UnTapped graduate of 2020, helped organize the city’s César Chávez Day of Learning and Service 2021. This event brought students out of their virtual classrooms and into the field, where they visited a local wastewater facility and learned from the City’s water engineers and public works officials. Congratulations on putting together a wonderful and rewarding community event, Marta!

Igor Tregub, former Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner and WELL UnTapped Graduate of 2020, is taking his environmental policy work to new heights as he will soon be serving as Senior Policy Advisor to the California Solar and Storage Association. From water and energy, to housing and organizing, Igor knows his stuff! Congratulations on the new position, and keep up the great work!

California Water News Highlights

Worried that you may have missed some important water news this month? WELL has you covered. Here is a sample of noteworthy water news for the month of March:

BBC News: Then and now: A ‘megadrought’ in California
High Country News: Will the climate crisis tap out the Colorado River?
The Guardian: ‘It’s a toxic blend’: where the kids are warned not to swallow the bath water
KCRA 3: California could get $150B from federal virus relief bill
CalMatters: Premature or precautionary? California is first to tackle microplastics in drinking water

WELL Associate Members

Earlier this year, WELL established an Associate Member Program. This program enables organizations to gain access to Latino leaders who share similar interests, allowing members to strategize about the best ways to solve California’s water challenges. Our Associate Members’ participation is a key component to our mutual continued success. We thank our Associate Members, listed below, for their support. If you’d like to learn more about the Associate Member Program, please visit: latinosforwater.org/associatemembers.