I was off-grid when President Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, so I first heard about the news in a text from my dad Sunday afternoon when I was starting to reconnect to cell service. Like most of the country, Oregon has been HOT lately, so I’ve been spending as much time as possible on and in the water, camping, paddling, swimming.
Afternoons on the river offer a relief from summer heat, but they also provide a welcome break from always-on technology that divides our attention and disrupts our peace. I consider it a responsibility to follow the news and exercise my political power, but I know we can’t sustain social change work without taking time to recharge and remember what it is we’re fighting for.
I hope you are able to shut your screens this season to lie in the shade, listen to birdsong, gaze at loved ones, or immerse your body in water. Or, like our wonderful new colleague, Briana, and her rambunctious rescue dog, Dewey, have a little bonding time with a pet and get that good oxytocin.
We’re hiring!
Want to help grow the movement for water justice, and work alongside some of the most dedicated and caring humans I know? Consider joining the Water Hub as Relationships Associate. Apply by August 2.
Water we reading
From a West Berkeley parking lot to an Owens Valley retreat center and a lock and dam complex in downtown Minneapolis, Indigenous communities are slowly reclaiming ancestral lands, restoring waterways that have been encased in steel and concrete, and reminding us what it looks like to live in right relationship with place.
Now streaming
The Water Hub team loves sharing playlists over Slack, and we often put on music when doing database updates or other less heady work. José recently flagged this cool water-inspired album by Los Bosques, “Ecos del río.” Hope you enjoy!
Current-ly
“We’ve created a space where fish can transverse up the river, and humans can actually go down the river,” says Mayor Lenise Peterman of Helper, Utah. The project that helped restore flows through Helper is just one featured in a recent panel discussion on Colorado Basin communities that are tapping federal funding to prepare for future droughts, fires, and floods.
Making waves
In communities that have endured disaster after disaster, it’s easy to become numb, says West Street Recovery’s Ben Hirsh. But the tireless advocacy of groups like West Street have finally forced a change at FEMA, which will now consider future flood risk when rebuilding from past storms.
Digital Detox 101
We know platforms like Instagram and TikTok are powerful places to connect with communities, but, between bots and trolls, they can also be a headache. Luckily, our resident communications manager, Zakiyaa Taylor, has recommendations for maximizing constructive conversations and minimizing negative interactions.
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