Authors
Victoria Nau (CIRES), Anne Gold (CIRES), Megan Littrell (CIRES), Ami Nacu-Schmidt (CIRES), Christine Okochi (CIRES)

Abstract

We are Water partners with libraries to bring STEAM programs and an exhibition to rural, Latino/Hispano, and Indigenous communities in the Four Corners Region of the U.S. The project engages community members in conversations about their personal and community connections to local water topics. Stories and community voices are highlighted and woven throughout the exhibit components and hands-on activities. Through experiences with We are Water, communities explore their shared watershed and local ecosystems and connect with neighbors through their shared and unique experiences with water in the region. Our activities encourage individuals, families, and communities to share their memories and stories about water and come together to imagine a future they want for their communities. In addition, CEEE designed virtual and take-home activities for library patrons, and a trilingual exhibition (Navajo, Spanish, and English). The traveling exhibition was hosted by libraries from 2022 through the end of 2024. We are Water is now applying what the team learned about community-based work and has started the co-development of two small, locally customized We are Water Community Exhibits in rural libraries across the Four Corners Region. Building on the original project’s success in connecting underserved Tribal, Latinx, and rural communities with culturally relevant water education, these downscaled exhibits will remain permanently at host sites and reflect local water issues, languages, and stories. Through a collaborative design process involving community advisors and library staff, each site will co-create bilingual exhibits, interactive components, and locally focused programming. The project emphasizes cultural responsiveness, community engagement, and place-based learning, with evaluation led by CEEE and external partners to document impact and refine the approach. This effort extends We are Water’s reach and deepens its commitment to honoring community knowledge and voices in informal STEM education.