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

Un Mar de Colores · Pacific Beach, CA

Coastal Cleanup & Environmental Justice in Pacific Beach

Commercial eco-tourism charges for 'volunteer' beach days. Un Mar charges nothing — ever.

Un Mar de Colores ofrece ocean stewardship gratuitas para jóvenes de Pacific Beach de All ages años, directamente en la costa de Pacific Beach. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 44% BIPOC (45,892 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en Tourmaline Surfing Park, Crystal Pier, con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary.

Horario — programa en Pacific Beach

Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completamente gratis

Quizás sientes esto

  • Plastic pollution education at school is a poster — your child wants hands-on citizen science tied to real beaches.
  • Beach closure headlines after storms confuse you — nobody connects Tijuana River pollution to why Pacific Beach families can't swim.
  • You worry about sharp debris and unsafe waste — nobody trained you on proper cleanup protocols.

Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua

  • Recruitment prioritizes BIPOC communities in Pacific Beach — rewriting who stewards the coast.
  • Quarterly workshops deepen advocacy and community organizing beyond monthly cleanups.
  • Post-cleanup debrief and reflection turn action into environmental literacy and advocacy motivation.

Por qué operamos este programa en Pacific Beach

Pacific Beach sits between Mission Bay and the open Pacific, producing the mellowest learner waves in the city. Tourmaline Surfing Park — designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — is the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego. Over 55% of students at Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, and Mission Bay High qualify for free or reduced meals, making this one of our highest-impact urban partnerships.

Población
45,892
Residentes BIPOC
44%
Hogares hispanohablantes
28%
Distancia a la playa
En la costa

Ocean Stewardship en Pacific Beach — Lo que debes saber

Monthly beach cleanups from Pacific Beach run across Oceanside, Imperial Beach, Cardiff, and partner sites. Inland families participate when events align with accessible shores (on the coast isn't a barrier for monthly regional events).

How much do beach cleanups cost? Commercial eco-tourism sometimes charges participation fees. Un Mar de Colores charges $0 — supplies, training, and documentation included for Pacific Beach families.

Por qué Pacific Beach importa para nuestra misión

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

Whether Pacific Beach is on the coast or on the coast inland, we treat transportation as part of the program — not an extra parents must figure out. That's how you build real access, not marketing copy.

Dónde surfeamos en Pacific Beach

Tourmaline Surfing Park

Principiante

Un Mar's primary Pacific Beach teaching location. Designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego.

Tourmaline was designated surf-only by San Diego City in 1981, making it the first formally protected teaching beach in Southern California.

Fondo: Sand/CobbleOleaje: 1–4 ft typicalSalvavidas: Todo el año

Crystal Pier

Intermedio

South side of pier offers a sand-bottom peak ideal for graduating students from Tourmaline.

Crystal Pier was built in 1927 and is one of only two piers in California with an overnight hotel (Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages).

Fondo: SandOleaje: 1–5 ft typicalSalvavidas: Todo el año

Socios comunitarios locales en Pacific Beach

En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 3+ escuelas Título I.

Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I

  • San Diego Unified School District
  • Pacific Beach Middle
  • Mission Bay High
  • Mission Beach Elementary

Socios comunitarios

  • Kate Sessions Park & Rec Center
  • San Diego Junior Lifeguards
  • Mission Bay Aquatic Center
  • Pacific Beach 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 Pacific 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

Our coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.

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 Pacific Beach

Is citizen science part of ocean stewardship cleanups?+

Yes — every cleanup includes data collection training. Participants document debris types and locations, contributing to Un Mar's database tracking pollution patterns across San Diego. Pacific Beach volunteers contribute real science.

Are cleanups bilingual in Pacific Beach?+

Yes — bilingual safety briefings and materials are standard. In Pacific Beach, where 28% of households are Spanish-speaking, English and Spanish instructions precede every event.

What happens after the cleanup ends?+

Post-cleanup debrief and reflection sessions turn action into learning — plastic pollution science, watershed connections, and advocacy skills. Pacific Beach participants leave as informed stewards, not just tired volunteers.

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

Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Pacific Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach 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 Pacific Beach?+

Las lecciones principales se realizan en Tourmaline Surfing Park. También usamos Crystal Pier según el nivel del grupo. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.

¿Qué edades son elegibles en Pacific 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 Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary 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?

Ready to get your child in the water? Contact Un Mar de Colores — priority enrollment for Pacific Beach Title I school students.

Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Pacific 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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