Rural, Indigenous, and Latinx communities in the Southwest region of the
U.S. share present and future concerns about drought and water
availability as these communities face low and inconsistent
precipitation. Using a collaborative process, We are Water has designed
informal STEM programs and a traveling exhibit for tribal and rural
libraries to create opportunities for individuals and families to engage
in conversations about their personal and community connections to
water. The decision to use a collaborative design process sought to
respect and honor the diversity of voices in these communities by
enabling them to express their experiences with water in their own words
and see their perspectives incorporated in the ensuing programs and
exhibit. As an important Drst step, the project conducted a needs
assessment, which invited communities to share their perspectives and
stories through surveys and interviews. As the COVID-19 pandemic
unfolded our project team adjusted its approach to ensure the voices of
those hardest hit by the pandemic, Indigenous and Latinx communities,
were heard. Instead of in-person relationship building as initially
planned, the project team pivoted toward a snowball approach to collect
one-on-one phone interviews. Findings from surveys and community
interviews showed water conservation, water access, water availability,
and water quality were common priorities. This project shows how a
collaborative process paired with evaluation can be used as tools for
community participation for informed decision making in the design of
informal educational experiences.