Un Mar de Colores · National City, CA
Free Bilingual Arts Program for National City Title I Youth
Coastal storytelling, oral tradition, poetry, film, photography, and mural arts — not generic craft afternoons.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece cultural arts & storytelling gratuitas para jóvenes de National City de All ages años, con transporte gratuito de 8 millas desde National City a nuestras playas de enseñanza. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 91% BIPOC (56,173 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en Imperial Beach (8 miles) y Coronado Central (7 miles), con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Central Elementary (National City), Kimball Elementary, Olivewood Elementary.
Horario — programa en National City
Quarterly workshops + summer artist residencies · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —Your teen writes poetry about the ocean but has no workshop space that honors barrio voice and coastal imagery.
- —Latino surf culture history is absent from school — your child learns about Duke Kahanamoku but not Chicano longboarders.
- —Film and documentary tools feel elite-only — nobody offered your National City teen free camera access and mentorship.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Visual arts: painting, mural, and photography workshops with exhibition-ready output.
- Latino and Chicano surf culture history centers voices commercial surf media erases.
- All ages welcome — multi-generational National City households create together.
Por qué operamos este programa en National City
National City is 63% Hispanic/Latino and among the most economically impacted cities in San Diego County. Our programs here are built around transportation — youth from Central, Kimball, and Olivewood Elementary travel to Imperial Beach and Coronado for water programming, with classroom components at National City Public Library and the MLK Community Center. National City is a priority Title I partnership for our Ocean Stewards recruitment.
- Población
- 56,173
- Residentes BIPOC
- 91%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 61%
- Distancia a la playa
- 8 mi
Cultural Arts & Storytelling en National City — Lo que debes saber
Free cultural arts for National City Title I students often connect through National School District / Sweetwater Union High referrals and Ocean Stewards after-school integration.
Exhibition partnerships with local galleries and museums amplify National City youth work — public visibility beyond school walls and social media.
Por qué National City importa para nuestra misión
When we say free for National City youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
Cross-border watershed work matters to National City because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
Socios comunitarios locales en National City
En asociación con el National School District / Sweetwater Union High y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 4+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- National School District / Sweetwater Union High
- •Central Elementary (National City)
- •Kimball Elementary
- •Olivewood Elementary
- •Sweetwater High School
Socios comunitarios
- ◆National School District
- ◆National City Public Library
- ◆Kimball Park (City of National City)
- ◆Casa Familiar (nearby in San Ysidro)
Currículo del programa
Cultural Arts & Storytelling at Un Mar de Colores is where the surf, the coast, and community narrative meet. Quarterly workshops and summer artist residencies bring together youth, professional artists, and Kumeyaay elders to create work that reflects the living cultural traditions of the California coast. Programs center Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices historically marginalized in coastal culture, and every workshop ends with a public exhibition, publication, or film screening that returns the art to the community that made it.
- →Coastal storytelling and oral tradition
- →Kumeyaay history and living culture
- →Latino and Chicano surf culture history
- →Visual arts (painting, mural, photography)
- →Poetry and spoken word
- →Film and documentary-making
Qué se incluye — Gratis para cada joven de National City
- ✓All art supplies provided
- ✓Guest-artist workshops
- ✓Exhibition and publication opportunities
- ✓Bilingual instruction
- ✓Culturally grounded curriculum
- ✓Partnership with local galleries and museums
Por qué Un Mar de Colores
Program safety is documented: lifeguard coordination, 4:1 ratios on youth water days, trauma-informed staff training, and parent communication protocols in English and Spanish.
Lo que dice nuestra comunidad
“"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."”
Preguntas frecuentes — Cultural Arts & Storytelling en National City
Can schools from National School District / Sweetwater Union High book arts workshops?+
Yes — we partner with Title I schools for culturally grounded arts field experiences. Contact Un Mar to coordinate a National City classroom or after-school arts session.
How do we enroll from National City?+
Contact Un Mar de Colores or check our quarterly workshop calendar. Priority for National City families through partner org and National School District / Sweetwater Union High referrals. All ages welcome — bring grandparents and neighbors.
Is Chicano surf culture taught?+
Yes — Latino and Chicano surf culture history modules center longboard traditions, barrio surf scenes, and coastal narratives excluded from mainstream media and National School District / Sweetwater Union High curriculum.
¿Los programas de Cultural Arts & Storytelling en National City son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en National City son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Central Elementary (National City), Kimball Elementary, Olivewood Elementary, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en National City?+
Los jóvenes de National City viajan en nuestro transporte a Imperial Beach (8 miles), aproximadamente a 8 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de National City.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en National City?+
Servimos a jóvenes de All ages años. Nuestra Beca One Ocean cubre las edades 6-12, Ocean Stewards After-School sirve a 13-17, y las Becas Atléticas de Surf están disponibles para jóvenes competitivos a través de nuestras asociaciones con National School District / Sweetwater Union High.
¿Cómo inscribo a mi hijo/a?+
Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Central Elementary (National City), Kimball Elementary, Olivewood Elementary y otras escuelas de Título I en National School District / Sweetwater Union High. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Volunteer, donate, or enroll — however you join, you're helping National City youth access the coast.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de National City. Contáctanos para inscribirte, hacer voluntariado, o apoyar el movimiento.
Un Mar de Colores es una organización sin fines de lucro 501(c)(3) liderada por personas BIPOC, basada en Oceanside, California. Ofrecemos programación gratuita de surf, océano y educación ambiental para jóvenes en San Diego y Tijuana — conectando culturas, costas y comunidades desde 2018.
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