BIPOC youth Ocean Stewardship session in Ocean Beach — Un Mar de Colores

Un Mar de Colores · Ocean Beach, CA

Ocean Beach Beach Cleanups — Environmental Justice, 100% Free

Every cleanup includes bilingual safety briefings, citizen science data collection, and post-event reflection.

Un Mar de Colores ofrece ocean stewardship gratuitas para jóvenes de Ocean Beach de All ages años, directamente en la costa de Ocean Beach. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 39% BIPOC (15,000 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach), con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School.

Horario — programa en Ocean Beach

Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completamente gratis

Quizás sientes esto

  • Citizen science sounds exclusive — you didn't know Ocean Beach families could contribute to real pollution databases.
  • The coast near Ocean Beach feels like a backdrop for photos, not a place your community is responsible for stewarding.
  • Plastic pollution education at school is a poster — your child wants hands-on citizen science tied to real beaches.

Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua

  • Trauma-informed, welcoming culture — first-time volunteers from Ocean Beach aren't lectured or judged.
  • Quarterly workshops deepen advocacy and community organizing beyond monthly cleanups.
  • Environmental justice education woven into every event — why beaches close, who bears pollution burden.

Por qué operamos este programa en Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach's OB Pier and Dog Beach locations offer our Point Loma peninsula cohorts direct-access surf instruction. The San Diego River mouth at Dog Beach provides paddle-flat-water training, and our Ocean Beach Elementary and Dana Middle partnerships anchor our youth recruitment across the 92107 zip code — one of San Diego's most culturally diverse beach neighborhoods.

Población
15,000
Residentes BIPOC
39%
Hogares hispanohablantes
21%
Distancia a la playa
En la costa

Ocean Stewardship en Ocean Beach — Lo que debes saber

With 21% Spanish-speaking households in Ocean Beach, bilingual cleanup briefings and materials are standard — not English-only safety instructions on the sand.

Ocean stewardship near OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach) partners with Ocean Stewards after-school — Ocean Beach teens connect classroom science to monthly sand action.

Por qué Ocean Beach importa para nuestra misión

Cross-border watershed work matters to Ocean Beach because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.

Ocean Beach sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 39% of residents identify as BIPOC, yet beach access has historically been gated by cost, transportation, and culture. Un Mar de Colores closes that gap with free programming and school-based recruitment.

Dónde surfeamos en Ocean Beach

OB Pier

Intermedio

Primary Ocean Beach teaching location. Used for intermediate progression from Tourmaline and Mission Beach.

The Ocean Beach Pier is the longest concrete pier on the West Coast at 1,971 feet. Closed for reconstruction in 2024, with reopening projected for 2027.

Fondo: SandOleaje: 2–6 ft typicalSalvavidas: Todo el año

Dog Beach (Ocean Beach)

Principiante

Used for paddle fundamentals and flatwater training (San Diego River mouth). Not for in-water surf instruction due to no lifeguard coverage.

Dog Beach OB was California's first leash-free beach (1972). Sits at the mouth of the San Diego River — our classroom for river-to-ocean watershed lessons.

Fondo: SandOleaje: 1–3 ft typicalSalvavidas: Ninguno

Socios comunitarios locales en Ocean Beach

En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 2+ escuelas Título I.

Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I

  • San Diego Unified School District
  • Ocean Beach Elementary
  • Dana Middle School

Socios comunitarios

  • OB Town Council
  • San Diego River Park Foundation
  • Point Loma Library

Currículo del programa

Ocean Stewardship at Un Mar de Colores connects coastal cleanup action with deeper environmental justice education. Monthly cleanups run across Oceanside, Imperial Beach, Cardiff, and partner sites, with each event combining hands-on debris removal with short teaching moments about the watershed-to-ocean pipeline, the plastic pollution crisis, and California coastal policy. Our Ocean Stewardship program is free and family-friendly, and we specifically prioritize recruitment from BIPOC communities whose relationships with the coast have historically been gated by cost or culture. Every participant contributes to our citizen science database tracking pollution patterns across San Diego County.

  • Beach cleanup fundamentals and safe practices
  • Plastic pollution and marine debris science
  • California coastal commission policy basics
  • Watershed-to-ocean connection
  • Citizen science data collection protocols
  • Advocacy and community organizing skills

Qué se incluye — Gratis para cada joven de Ocean Beach

  • Cleanup supplies (buckets, grabbers, gloves)
  • Bilingual safety briefings
  • Data collection training
  • Post-cleanup debrief and reflection
  • Certificate of community service
  • Family-friendly participation

Por qué Un Mar de Colores

Federal EIN 85-2947340. Mailing: PO BOX 232471, Encinitas, CA 92024. We operate on the ancestral lands of the Kumeyaay Nation with respect and community accountability.

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."

— Middle school student— Parent, One Ocean

Preguntas frecuentes — Ocean Stewardship en Ocean Beach

What supplies do I need for a beach cleanup?+

Nothing — we provide buckets, grabbers, gloves, and data collection materials. Show up in closed-toe shoes and sun protection. Ocean Beach families don't need to buy cleanup gear.

When are beach cleanups near Ocean Beach?+

Un Mar de Colores runs monthly beach cleanups across San Diego County — Oceanside, Imperial Beach, Cardiff, and partner sites accessible from Ocean Beach. Quarterly workshops add deeper advocacy training. Check our calendar for the next event near OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach).

Where do cleanups happen near Ocean Beach?+

Sites rotate across North County and San Diego coastlines — including areas near OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach). We select locations based on need, safety, and accessibility from Ocean Beach. Event pages list specific meet points.

¿Los programas de Ocean Stewardship en Ocean Beach son realmente gratuitos?+

Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Ocean Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.

¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en Ocean Beach?+

Las lecciones principales se realizan en OB Pier. También usamos Dog Beach (Ocean Beach) según el nivel del grupo. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.

¿Qué edades son elegibles en Ocean Beach?+

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 San Diego Unified School District.

¿Cómo inscribo a mi hijo/a?+

Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School y otras escuelas de Título I en San Diego Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.

¿Listo para entrar al agua?

Join hundreds of Ocean Beach families who trust Un Mar de Colores for free ocean programming. Enroll today.

Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Ocean Beach. 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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