Adelanto Water Justice Coalition
a group dedicated to ensuring the residents of Adelanto have equitable access to clean and safe water.
History of the Coalition
Timeline
FALL
2021
SPRING
2022
SUMMER
2022
Fall
2022
In the Fall of 2021, Council member Stevevonna Evans connected with the Community Engagement Center, an organization of Pitzer College, to collaborate on ways to address water-related issues raised by Adelanto residents. A small team from Pitzer College coalesced to work on this project, including students and faculty from the Keck Science Department, Pitzer’s Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability, and Pitzer’s CASA (Critical Action & Social Advocacy) program.
After initial water sample collection, efforts expanded to include the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and El Sol Community Educational Center, researchers were able to better connect with the immigrant and Spanish-speaking community in Adelanto–some of whom identify as a group called Unidos por un Adelanto Mejor (United for a Better Adelanto). In the Spring of 2022, quantitative and qualitative research was conducted, analyzed and combined to form the Adelanto Community Water Report (more on this report can be found under the “Report” tab of this website).
In the Summer of 2022, the aforementioned partners officially launched the Adelanto Water Justice Coalition to advocate for and obtain water justice for the city of Adelanto.
Throughout the Fall, the coalition met weekly, welcoming more Adelanto residents, community organizers, and professors into the space in order to learn more about the water issues in Adelanto. Research Coordinator Ella Meyer presented the findings of the Community Water Report at a city council meeting on September 14th. Many residents, in-person and via Zoom, provided public comment after the presentation expressing concerns about water quality in Adelanto as well as excitement that AWJC and the city were focusing attention on this concern. The coalition met with representatives from the city engineers and managers, Local Equity, and PERC Water Corporation to discuss ways to collaborate on securing safe drinking water for Adelanto.
AWJC TIMELINE
SUMMER
2022
In the Fall of 2021, Council member Stevevonna Evans connected with the Community Engagement Center, an organization of Pitzer College, to collaborate on ways to address water-related issues raised by Adelanto residents. A small team from Pitzer College coalesced to work on this project, including students and faculty from the Keck Science Department, Pitzer’s Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability, and Pitzer’s CASA (Critical Action & Social Advocacy) program.
After initial water sample collection, efforts expanded to include the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and El Sol Community Educational Center, researchers were able to better connect with the immigrant and Spanish-speaking community in Adelanto–some of whom identify as a group called Unidos por un Adelanto Mejor (United for a Better Adelanto). In the Spring of 2022, quantitative and qualitative research was conducted, analyzed, and combined to form the Adelanto Community Water Report (more on this report can be found under the “Report” tab of this website).
In the Summer of 2022, the aforementioned partners officially launched the Adelanto Water Justice Coalition to advocate for and obtain water justice for the city of Adelanto.
Throughout the Fall, the coalition met weekly, welcoming more Adelanto residents, community organizers, and professors into the space to learn more about the water issues in Adelanto. Research Coordinator Ella Meyer presented the findings of the Community Water Report at a city council meeting on September 14th. Many residents, in-person and via Zoom, provided public comment after the presentation expressing concerns about water quality in Adelanto as well as excitement that AWJC and the city were focusing attention on this concern. The coalition met with representatives from the city engineers and managers, Local Equity, and PERC Water Corporation to discuss ways to collaborate on securing safe drinking water for Adelanto.
AWJC is looking for funding to approve a mural for the city of Adelanto to bring attention to the importance of the quality of water in the area. Local visual artists will help lead the Adelanto community in the planning and painting of the mural if/once the grant is approved.