Water Education For Latino Leaders

WELL EDUCATES AND TRAINS LOCAL LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY TO PROMOTE TIMELY AND EQUITABLE ACTIONS THAT SERVE TO DEVELOP A ROBUST ECONOMY, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, AND A RESILIENT ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS.

CONFERENCE EACH YEAR WE BRING TOGETHER LEADERS FROM ACROSS CALIFORNIA WITH THE AIM OF HELPING THEM LEARN BEST PRACTICES IN WATER MANAGEMENT, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES OF SUPPLYING A COST-EFFECTIVE AND RELIABLE SUPPLY OF WATER, AND HOW TO BETTER ACCESS FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ADDRESS BOTH. CONFERENCE SPEAKERS SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO HELP LOCAL LEADERS DRIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CALIFORNIAN'S WATER CHALLENGES.

UNTAPPED BUILDING ON ITS SUCCESS IN WATER EDUCATION, WELL LAUNCHED THE WELL UNTAPPED, A SELECTIVE, SIX-MONTH PROGRAM FOR LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS AIMED AT DEEPENING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY AND ITS MANY CHALLENGES. THE UNTAPPED PROGRAM CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL LEADERS TO EXAMINE WATER ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO HISTORY, GOVERNANCE, PUBLIC POLICY, GEOGRAPHY, ECONOMIC, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

CALIFORNIA WATER, WASTEWATER, AND ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS A STATEWIDE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOCUSED ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. THE PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO CREATING A WORKFORCE PIPELINE FOR WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS. A FOUR-MEMBER TEAM COMPOSED OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WATER EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WATER EDUCATION FOR LATINO LEADERS, JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES, AND THE CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL UTILITIES ASSOCIATION, KNOWN AS THE COALITION, WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION FOR THE CALIFORNIA WATER, WASTEWATER, AND ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. A SIGNIFICANT REASON FOR THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN WATER EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND WATER EDUCATION FOR LATINO LEADERS WAS TO ADDRESS AND CHALLENGE EQUITY LIMITATIONS IN THESE WATER AND ENERGY SECTORS BY DEVELOPING CAREER PATHWAYS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS THROUGH ENTRY?, MID-, AND EXECUTIVE-LEVEL POSITIONS. THOSE IN ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS ARE TYPICALLY THE MOST DIVERSE (ALTHOUGH OFTEN NOT FULLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TARGET POPULATIONS). BY SIMILARLY SUPPORTING AND FOCUSING ON MID- AND EXECUTIVE-LEVEL CAREER DEVELOPMENT, THE PROGRAM HOPES TO EMPHASIZE AND IMPROVE DIVERSITY AT SEVERAL INDUSTRY CAREER LEVELS, INCLUDING DECISION- MAKERS WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS. THE COALITION AIMS TO PROVIDE THESE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH NEW AND EXCITING PROGRAMS THAT UPLIFT AND VALUE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.