SOMOS AGUA
We Are Water
We are water
Todos somos protectores del agua: We are all water protectors
The Somos Agua Mural Project highlights the importance of water to the life of all communities. We all can water protectors. Somos Agua is an opening of hope for our communities to embrace our purpose and intentions, and identify our resilience.
Through the contribution of 111 artists from Colorado, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Honduras, this community arts based project asks that you reflect on water, its role in your life, and what it means to be a water protector.
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Great Spirit
Guide me to know the water within me and around my world.
This is dedicated to all the children in the world,
To our antepasados.
To all water protectors around the world…
To Mother Earth,
To Tonantzin and her ecosystem, which we all live on…together.
We are all in this together.
5 murals that tell stories of our communities
Look up, look all around, and see what images reflect your relationship with water, both within us and around our world.
As you enjoy the murals, reflect on:
- What is being done to our water?
- How can we protect water?
- Why is water important to you?
Somos Agua for healing the mind, body & spirit
Through this mural process, we give all participating members, especially kids and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous,People of Color) community, the ability to gain awareness on balanced mental health and break away from culturally derived barriers. Somos Agua addresses stigmas and accessibility issues that prevents participants from achieving mental health by creating safe spaces for transformation.
Welcome to our interactive traveling murals
By Belinda Garcia, Founder Somos Agua Mural Project
The beginnings of Somos Agua didn’t start out as a silk mural. It started with a Historical Trauma workshop done in Alamosa, Colorado, with la gente from all parts of El Valle de San Luis. San Luis Valley is the home of my father.
The workshop addressed historical trauma. The participants in the workshop underwent some major shifts with tears. Historical trauma manifested in the participants like it did in me. Trauma is present in all parts of our bodies, especially the water we carry for many generations.
The sadness was the trauma that many of the participants have experienced in this time period in their lives and passed from generation to generation.
Several weeks later I was talking about having art for community members so they could heal, establish community support and safe spaces to ask for help. In the next several weeks Somos Agua began to form into an action.
We, Adrienne Garbini, the Range And Laurie Vigil, H.E.A.R.T. of Saguache and myself started the mural process.
The process of creating the mural involves education through workshops and community events and celebrations. Somos Agua aligns with health equity by building social support networks that will increase healthy behaviors.
This project provides new chances for residents of different economic status, backgrounds, and ethnicities to learn about each other and build meaningful opportunities to create art together. This will be a multi-dimensional community effort. The project addresses our environment and safety, and the importance of water to the life of all communities. We are all water protectors safeguarding our clean water.
Somos Agua is a jumping off point for community to build healthy relationships
We are working towards the murals will travel to other parts of the state and eventually to other states. We are researching other means to provide more stories to be documented from the communities that have been involved in this process. This will also be part of developing relationships across the state with the participants and their families.
The participating artists are from 4 years old to 84 years old.
Special Thanks To:
Sisters of Color United for Education, H.E.A.R.T., Jefferson County Indian Education, Golden Crown, and their staff for the space they provided for us
Dr. Lydia Prado, for the space at Lifespan
Rob, Optimum films
Dr. Marty Otanez, University of Colorado Denver Department of Anthropology, who has spent endless hours on interview different artist that were involved in painting the murals, and his students
Leroy Saiz, director of Jefferson County Indian Affairs and his staff, who provided financial support
Crestone Charter school and their Drivers
Center High School ART class
Angel Ramos,the a fellow art teacher from Center
My daughter Adrienna Corrales Lujan, who always believed in the project
Belem Gonzales, who made certain the murals were wrapped and preserved
Thanks especially to the man name Alex that built the majority of the frames, to product the murals
All the people that brought the food
Michelle Otanez, our graphic artist, the three Comadres that helped me with the book, for Somos Agua
Kathyn Harris
Laura Naranjo
Desiear
Elza who built a website for Somos Agua
Jack who has been a gem in securing a place for the mural to live in a museum, and the museum that will house them
All the beautiful 112 artist that took time out of their lives to send the message of their most sacred work.
This is not just a mural project but an opening of hope for:
Healthy self-talk and affirmations
Encouraging self confidence
Embracing purpose and intention
Identifying resilience
Somos Agua shares education about water and the stories of Standing Rock
Standing Rock was important because people were being treated sub human. The water protectors there needed to be honored because they respected the water in a way we all could. Water in the lakes, oceans, rivers acequia, the water we drink, and the water we carry. The water we carry is affected by the environment it is exposed to. We want people to know our words also affect the water. How humans treat others. The good or negative thoughts and actions.
The Water Protectors were being subjected to torture, violence, and that was because they were trying to protect the water. Through history we all need to face that humans have been cruel to each other. I wanted people to know we are all in this together.
If we are to stop climate change and have water for everyone we all need to be educated about the importance of raising our voices to protect water. We want this project to open the eyes of everyone to protect the water. We desire to give honor to those that are trying to be advocates and activists to protect the water. We are protecting ourselves and our children to have water for the next seven generations.
I personally did this from my heart and soul and asked other people in all these communities to show people how important water is to everyone that participated in
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