Celebrating the Water Knowledge Network

FMR debuted our Water Knowledge Network last summer — a workshop series that combined youth programming, community gardens, artwork, rain barrels and more — thanks to a Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) grant. 

Our goal was to share community knowledge about water and love for water, while building skills for youth and adults to care for our watershed.

Together with our resident artist Courtney Cochran and youth participants, we created a video to celebrate what we learned from community members. Watch the video to hear reflections on how we're connected to water. 

Youth programming and We Are Water multigenerational workshops

Our Water Knowledge Network included youth programming as well as multigenerational workshops.

At 21st Century Academy — a summer youth program in North Minneapolis — we worked with elementary school groups for 10 sessions, covering topics like the water cycle and food and water systems. We even took a field trip to learn about zebra mussels. Younger youth created posters to educate their community about ways to protect the river. They engaged in interactive play about wildlife that depend on a clean river. Older youth designed an original screenprint with our resident artist Courtney Cochran and assistant Josie Hoffman.

The summer culminated in two “We Are Water” workshops with Plant-Grow-Share, a community garden program through the Central Neighborhood in Minneapolis. In June, we met at a community garden with neighbors to discuss how we can care for our water together, then stenciled storm drains in the surrounding streets. In August, neighbors assembled rain barrels to take home and screenprinted bags and posters using the design created by 21st Century youth. Thanks to funding from MWMO and barrels donated by Coca-Cola, we connected 25 Minneapolis residents with free rain barrels.