Un Mar de Colores · Imperial Beach, CA
Free volunteer orientation, paid background check, and cultural competency training for every direct-youth volunteer.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece volunteer programs gratuitas para jóvenes de Imperial Beach de 18+ años, directamente en la costa de Imperial Beach. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 73% BIPOC (26,324 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en IB Pier, con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School.
Ongoing (monthly events + weekly program support) · Completamente gratis
Imperial Beach is the southernmost beach city in California and ground zero for our Tijuana River watershed work. Beach closures from transboundary sewage flows regularly impact water quality here, which is why our Imperial Beach cohorts combine surf instruction with direct environmental justice education — kids learn about the river and the coast as a single system. Mar Vista Middle and Imperial Beach Elementary are our flagship Title I partners.
Beach cleanup volunteers from Imperial Beach receive supplies, bilingual safety briefings, citizen science training, and certificates of service — no registration fees unlike some eco-tourism 'volunteer' experiences.
Ocean stewardship cleanup volunteers from Imperial Beach can deepen into leadership tracks — monthly action with pathway to organizer roles.
With 26,324 residents, Imperial Beach is one of the communities where a single free surf cohort can change dozens of lives per season. Our shuttles and school partnerships make distance (on the coast) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Whether Imperial 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.
Primary Imperial Beach teaching location — WHEN water quality is safe. Tijuana River sewage flows regularly close this beach.
Imperial Beach sits at the southern terminus of California and is the closest beach to the US-Mexico border. The Tijuana River mouth is 2 miles south.
En asociación con el South Bay Union School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 3+ escuelas Título I.
Volunteers are the backbone of Un Mar de Colores. Monthly beach cleanups, weekly after-school program support, annual Surf Fiesta events, and ongoing community organizing all rely on volunteers from across San Diego County. We welcome adult volunteers (18+) with a range of skill sets and time commitments — from single-event cleanup volunteers to weekly mentors supporting Ocean Stewards. All volunteers complete a free orientation and a paid background check, and we provide cultural competency training to every direct-youth volunteer.
We do not charge families. Ever. That policy is structural — grants, donors, and shop revenue fund access so Imperial Beach youth are never waitlisted for inability to pay.
“"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."”
Corporate events are often one-day photo ops without training, BIPOC recruitment priority, or youth mentorship depth. Un Mar offers monthly continuity, paid background checks, cultural competency training, and BIPOC-led movement building for Imperial Beach volunteers.
Training prepares volunteers to mentor BIPOC youth respectfully — avoiding savior dynamics, honoring cultural context, and supporting trauma-informed environments. Required before direct-youth pairing for Imperial Beach mentors.
Monthly cleanups across Oceanside, Imperial Beach, Cardiff, and partner sites accessible from Imperial Beach. Quarterly workshops deepen advocacy skills for volunteers ready to organize beyond debris removal.
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Imperial Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
Las lecciones principales se realizan en IB Pier. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.
Servimos a jóvenes de 18+ 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 South Bay Union School District.
Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School y otras escuelas de Título I en South Bay Union School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
Sign your Imperial Beach youth up today — every program is 100% free, with wetsuits, boards, and transportation included.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Imperial 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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