El Agua es Sagrada
Our Philosophy
Our Agua es Sagrada Initiative greatly enhances and continues the resilience of the Valle de Atrisco (South Valley) community that is an underrepresented community in the Bernalillo County.
This initiative focuses primarily on reconnecting families & community members back to water/land-based traditions through advocacy & community-based education efforts.
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Our organization developed the Agua es Sagrada (Water is Sacred) Philosophy to promote the preservation and connection we have with water.
Water is Life, and if it is then it should also be an inalienable right that should be extended to our future generations. We have to think about the future as our society makes plans for water use. The understanding of water as a sacred element is part of a philosophy that emanates from the agricultural societies that settled along the Rio Grande in New Mexico, including the Valle de Atrisco--South Valley of Albuquerque.
Through this philosophy, individuals in the community are actively empowered to resist the complete commodification of water, and by doing this; we are creating the conditions to protect and preserve water rights in our community. We do this under the community values inserted in the legal and community practices that make up acequias communities in the Valle de Atrisco today.
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OUR GOALS
• Engage our local community in the protection & preservation of water resources and water/land-based traditions through advocacy efforts, educational workshops, & community events.
• Raise awareness regarding potential impacts to water resources at the local & state level, especially as it relates to farmers, acequieros, and irrigators in the Middle Rio Grande Region.
• Create a critical mass of informed and engaged individuals who understand the importance of water/land-based traditions.
• Research, analyze & support policies & legislation related to the protection of our water resources & water rights at the local and state level.
• Improve the health and wellbeing of our community through acequia education.
• Chronicle local history through the Valle de Atrisco Living History Project – website that will include a living history of the Valle de Atrisco through podcasts, short video projects, images, & stories focusing primarily on acequias & water/land-based traditions.
Our Funders & Collaborators
