This New York Climate Week, Water Hub welcomed 14 online creators to an intimate dinner in partnership with advocacy platform chilli. Over an evening of connection and learning, creators heard directly from Water Hub partners: We the People of Detroit (WPD), DigDeep, and Earthjustice. These organizations spoke to America’s water issues and the people working toward solutions on the ground.
Why we brought creators to the table
Most creators work in isolation online, and most water organizations struggle to reach people beyond their base. That’s why our goal was to create space for in-person community building between creators and our partner organizations making a difference across the country.
We wanted the evening to be intersectional, so we partnered with Tell Williams, a therapist, educator, and advocate with over 7 million followers who blends sharp political comedy with meaningful conversations to be our emcee. Other guests included newsfluencer Josh Greene (@joshtheprogressive), Indigenous water protector Giiwedin, public health advocate @WomenInAmerica, and comedian Tevin Davis, among others. Together, our attendees reach a combined audience of 13 million people.
From the Clean Water Act to Detroit Taps and Closing the Water Access Gap
The programming featured Earthjustice laying out a brief overview of today’s water policy landscape and what’s at stake as protections such as the Clean Water Act are under threat. WPD shared what the water crisis looks like in Detroit, where families are experiencing shutoffs and unaffordable bills. Then, DigDeep spoke to the water access gap across the U.S.
Our partners sparked inspiration around the table. For example, one creator expressed interest in joining a water delivery trip to Detroit communities with WPD. Another comedian with over 971k followers who roots his work in “joy as resistance,” said he wants to start talking about water issues impacting Black communities. Creators also asked Water Hub to help them stay in touch, reinforcing that there’s appetite for ongoing community, not one-off engagements.
Social media is the #1 news source in the U.S. and creators are trusted messengers shaping how people make sense of the world. This dinner showed how important it is to invest in relationships, because creators left with new connections, real stories, and a personal stake in the issue.
Our vision for a Water Creator Collective
The event also confirmed Water Hub’s role as a creative convener, and it’s a preview of what we’re building with the Water Creator Collective, a year-round program pairing creators with regional water justice partners for ongoing issue education. With sustained investment, we can keep the water conversation going on and offline. We would love your help to make this vision happen! If you’re a funder or a partner feel free to schedule a meeting with us to ask questions and learn more.
To learn more about our creator partnership offerings, check out our case study on American Rivers’ Most Endangered Rivers Campaign from earlier this year.
What's next
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