We believe that water justice needs not only policy advocacy and a broad frontline movement but also a shared vision for the world we are working to create. At the center of this shared vision are the narratives and stories of the people facing water challenges to inspire action and nourish our purpose.
Part of our work as a service partner to the field is engaging in deep listening. Our latest project tapped into this practice to do deep listening with people from across the country doing great work to advance water justice to hear their stories and visions for the future.
When policy and art collide
Inspired by these stories, and as part of our Just Infrastructure campaign, we wanted to contribute to a collective imagination of a more joyful and healthy water future. So, as we started putting together content to highlight the need for continued federal funding to reach the people in greatest need, we turned toward artists to lead the way.
As we moved along the creative process of shaping the campaign, we acknowledged the need to embrace a more visionary and imaginative approach. So we leaned on Dio Cramer’s illustrations, Shearon Roberts’ creative advice, Silkworm Studio’s animation, and Benny Starr and Rodrick BinGichi’s music and sound design to bring to life an animated video. We wanted to bring together the stories and the creativity we need to shape a joyful and healthy water future.
Throughout this journey, we were inspired by the work of many wonderful talented artists, including Wangechi Mutu, Mark Lopez, Paul Chaat Smith (Comanche), adrienne maree brown, and many others. Featuring the voices of Cheyenne Holliday of Verde, Julian Gonzalez of Earthjustice, Francisco Romero of the Prevention Institute (formerly with Promesa Boyle Heights), and Rebecca Malpass of The Water Collaborative, we hope this video will inspire more equitable policy implementation and creative storytelling about how federal water spending can multi-solve our climate and water challenges while creating green space and healthy communities.
While federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was a huge win for communities facing water challenges, these dollars are just a downpayment on the promise of safe drinking water and sanitation for all and climate preparedness. Much more needs to be done, and we bring some hope, beauty and joy into this journey without denying the difficulties of our time. Help us spread the word by sharing the animation with your networks!
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