Un Mar de Colores · Lemon Grove, CA
BIPOC Cultural Arts Program in Lemon Grove, CA
Pathways to Ocean Stewards after-school and watershed education — arts integrated with environmental literacy.
Un Mar de Colores's Cultural Arts & Storytelling workshops center Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices of the California coast — and Lemon Grove youth are welcome in every cohort. Quarterly workshops run throughout San Diego County in partnership with Lemon Grove School District and Lemon Grove Public Library, with summer artist residencies open to Lemon Grove students via referral from Lemon Grove School District. All supplies, instruction, and exhibition opportunities are provided at no cost.
Schedule — Lemon Grove Program Days
Quarterly workshops + summer artist residencies · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Film and documentary tools feel elite-only — nobody offered your Lemon Grove teen free camera access and mentorship.
- —Commercial 'surf art' classes paint palm trees for tourists — not stories from Lemon Grove neighborhoods.
- —You want art that returns to community — not portfolio pieces sold to tourists who never visit Lemon Grove.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Guest-artist workshops bring professional creators who reflect Lemon Grove communities.
- Bilingual instruction and materials in English and Spanish — 40% households served fully.
- Quarterly workshops across San Diego — consistent creative community, not one-off craft days.
Why We Run This Program in Lemon Grove
Lemon Grove is 45% Hispanic/Latino and 18% Black — one of the most racially diverse small cities in San Diego County. Our Lemon Grove program partners with Lemon Grove School District (3 Title I schools) for shuttle-based transportation to OB Pier and Coronado Central Beach. Classroom components run at Lemon Grove Public Library.
- Population
- 27,598
- BIPOC residents
- 78%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 40%
- Distance to beach
- 10 mi
Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Lemon Grove — What You Should Know
Cultural arts near OB Pier (11 miles) and Coronado Central (10 miles) isn't tourist palm-tree painting — it's Indigenous and Latino reclamation of coastal narrative in San Diego.
Free cultural arts workshops in Lemon Grove center Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano coastal voices at Un Mar de Colores — quarterly sessions and summer artist residencies with all supplies, guest artists, and exhibition opportunities at zero cost.
Why Lemon Grove Matters to Our Mission
Parents in Lemon Grove often ask how a nonprofit can offer everything free. Answer: San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and partners who believe Lemon Grove youth belong in the lineup — same as any other kid in San Diego.
Lemon Grove's relationship to the Pacific is complicated by history and economics. Our curriculum weaves Kumeyaay coastal stewardship, environmental justice, and culturally grounded instruction into every session — not as an add-on, but as the foundation.
Local Lemon Grove Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Lemon Grove School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 3+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Lemon Grove School District
- •San Altos Elementary
- •San Miguel Elementary
- •Mt. Vernon Elementary
Community partners
- ◆Lemon Grove School District
- ◆Lemon Grove Public Library
- ◆Grossmont Union High School District
Program Curriculum
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
What's Included — Free for Every Lemon Grove Youth
- ✓All art supplies provided
- ✓Guest-artist workshops
- ✓Exhibition and publication opportunities
- ✓Bilingual instruction
- ✓Culturally grounded curriculum
- ✓Partnership with local galleries and museums
Why Un Mar de Colores
Board and staff leadership is BIPOC-majority. Decisions about Lemon Grove programming are made with community partners, not corporate sponsors.
What our community says
“"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."”
Frequently Asked Questions — Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Lemon Grove
Are cultural arts workshops free in Lemon Grove?+
Yes — 100% free. All art supplies, guest-artist instruction, bilingual materials, and exhibition opportunities are included. Commercial youth art classes in San Diego County often charge $30–$80 per session. Lemon Grove families pay nothing.
Do I need to bring art supplies?+
No — we provide paint, canvas, cameras, mural materials, and all workshop supplies. Lemon Grove families show up ready to create, not shop for materials.
Do participants get exhibition opportunities?+
Yes — every workshop cycle aims toward public exhibition, publication, or film screening. Un Mar partners with local galleries and museums to return Lemon Grove youth art to the community — not sell it to tourists.
Are cultural arts & storytelling in Lemon Grove really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Lemon Grove are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like San Altos Elementary, San Miguel Elementary, Mt. Vernon Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Lemon Grove family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do cultural arts & storytelling happen in Lemon Grove?+
Lemon Grove is 10 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to OB Pier (11 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Lemon Grove School District and partner schools inside Lemon Grove.
What ages can enroll in Lemon Grove?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Lemon Grove specifically, our recruitment runs through Lemon Grove School District — with priority enrollment for students from San Altos Elementary, San Miguel Elementary, Mt. Vernon Elementary. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at OB Pier (11 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Lemon Grove, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Lemon Grove School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Lemon Grove?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Lemon Grove, where 40% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
How is Un Mar de Colores different from other cultural arts & storytelling in Lemon Grove?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Lemon Grove surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 78%-BIPOC Lemon Grove community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Lemon Grove, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Lemon Grove child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of San Altos Elementary, San Miguel Elementary, Mt. Vernon Elementary and referrals from Lemon Grove School District and Lemon Grove Public Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Ready to get your child in the water? Contact Un Mar de Colores — priority enrollment for Lemon Grove Title I school students.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Lemon Grove youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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