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Un Mar de Colores · Bonita, CA
Bonita Beach Cleanups — Environmental Justice, 100% Free
Family-friendly participation — kids, grandparents, and neighbors from Bonita welcome on the sand.
Un Mar de Colores hosts ongoing Ocean Stewardship cleanup and conservation programming across the Bonita area and surrounding coast. Monthly events combine hands-on beach cleanup with environmental justice education, citizen science data collection, and policy literacy. Our Bonita programming partners with Bonita-Sunnyside Library, Sweetwater Union High School District, Chula Vista Elementary School District, and all events are free and family-friendly.
Schedule — Bonita Program Days
Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Your family has been in Bonita for generations yet coastal stewardship still feels tourist-first, local-last.
- —You want grandparents and young kids involved — many events aren't truly family-friendly.
- —You've picked up trash alone on the sand and felt invisible — no data, no community, no policy connection.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- California coastal commission policy basics — Bonita participants learn how coastal rules affect their beaches.
- Bilingual safety briefings before every event — 41% households in Bonita fully included.
- BIPOC-led movement — stewardship led by communities historically excluded from coastal conservation spaces.
Why We Run This Program in Bonita
Bonita is a South Bay community adjacent to Chula Vista and National City, with a 58% Hispanic/Latino population. Our Bonita cohorts shuttle to Imperial Beach and Coronado, with classroom components at Bonita-Sunnyside Library. Students primarily come from Sunnyside Elementary and Bonita Vista Middle as part of our South Bay Title I partnership network.
- Population
- 12,795
- BIPOC residents
- 68%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 41%
- Distance to beach
- 10 mi
Ocean Stewardship in Bonita — What You Should Know
BIPOC beach cleanup recruitment in Bonita rewrites coastal conservation demographics — stewardship led by communities historically excluded from eco-volunteer spaces dominated by white participants.
Quarterly ocean stewardship workshops in San Diego deepen advocacy and organizing skills for Bonita participants ready to move beyond monthly cleanups.
Why Bonita Matters to Our Mission
When we say free for Bonita youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
From Bonita's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.
Local Bonita Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union
- •Sunnyside Elementary
- •Bonita Vista Middle
Community partners
- ◆Bonita-Sunnyside Library
- ◆Sweetwater Union High School District
- ◆Chula Vista Elementary School District
Program Curriculum
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
What's Included — Free for Every Bonita Youth
- ✓Cleanup supplies (buckets, grabbers, gloves)
- ✓Bilingual safety briefings
- ✓Data collection training
- ✓Post-cleanup debrief and reflection
- ✓Certificate of community service
- ✓Family-friendly participation
Why 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.
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 — Ocean Stewardship in Bonita
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. Bonita volunteers contribute real science.
Are beach cleanups family-friendly in Bonita?+
Absolutely — grandparents, parents, teens, and young children from Bonita are welcome. We design events for multi-generational participation with safety briefings before anyone touches debris.
Are cleanups bilingual in Bonita?+
Yes — bilingual safety briefings and materials are standard. In Bonita, where 41% of households are Spanish-speaking, English and Spanish instructions precede every event.
Are ocean stewardship in Bonita really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Bonita are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Bonita family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do ocean stewardship happen in Bonita?+
Bonita is 10 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to Imperial Beach (10 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Bonita-Sunnyside Library and partner schools inside Bonita.
What ages can enroll in Bonita?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Bonita specifically, our recruitment runs through Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union — with priority enrollment for students from Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle. 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 Imperial Beach (10 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Bonita, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Bonita-Sunnyside Library partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Bonita?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Bonita, where 41% 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 ocean stewardship in Bonita?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Bonita surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 68%-BIPOC Bonita 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 Bonita, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Bonita child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle and referrals from Bonita-Sunnyside Library and Sweetwater Union High School District. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Sign your Bonita youth up today — every program is 100% free, with wetsuits, boards, and transportation included.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Bonita 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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