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Un Mar de Colores · Point Loma, CA
Where Point Loma Residents Join Free Beach Cleanups
The coast should belong to everyone in Point Loma. Cleanups rewrite who stewards the shoreline.
Un Mar de Colores hosts ongoing Ocean Stewardship cleanup and conservation programming across the Point Loma area and surrounding coast. Monthly events combine hands-on beach cleanup with environmental justice education, citizen science data collection, and policy literacy. Our Point Loma programming partners with Cabrillo National Monument (NPS), Point Loma Nazarene University, Point Loma Library, and all events are free and family-friendly.
Schedule — Point Loma Program Days
Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —One-off Earth Day events don't build continuity — you want monthly action with the same community.
- —You want grandparents and young kids involved — many events aren't truly family-friendly.
- —Eco-volunteer events near the coast feel white-dominated — your family doesn't see themselves in the lineup of volunteers.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Bilingual safety briefings before every event — 17% households in Point Loma fully included.
- Family-friendly participation — multi-generational Point Loma households welcome.
- California coastal commission policy basics — Point Loma participants learn how coastal rules affect their beaches.
Why We Run This Program in Point Loma
Point Loma's Sunset Cliffs coastline is too advanced for beginner instruction, but our Point Loma youth cohorts travel to OB Pier and Dog Beach for water sessions, with dryland instruction at Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma Nazarene University (our educational partner). The Kumeyaay coastal history of the peninsula is woven into every Point Loma cohort curriculum.
- Population
- 32,000
- BIPOC residents
- 34%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 17%
- Distance to beach
- Coastal
Ocean Stewardship in Point Loma — What You Should Know
Parents searching beach cleanup near Point Loma, CA find corporate-sponsored one-day events first. Un Mar cleanups are different: BIPOC-led, monthly continuity, watershed science on the sand, and recruitment prioritizing communities where 34% of residents have been gated from coastal stewardship.
Monthly beach cleanups from Point Loma 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).
Why Point Loma Matters to Our Mission
Point Loma'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.
Parents in Point Loma often ask how a nonprofit can offer everything free. Answer: San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and partners who believe Point Loma youth belong in the lineup — same as any other kid in San Diego.
Local Point Loma Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- San Diego Unified School District
- •Point Loma High
- •Cabrillo Elementary
Community partners
- ◆Cabrillo National Monument (NPS)
- ◆Point Loma Nazarene University
- ◆Point Loma Library
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 Point Loma 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
Our impact is measured in youth served, school partnerships, and watershed stewardship hours — published annually in our impact reports at mar-de-colores.org.
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 Point Loma
How is Un Mar cleanup different from corporate beach days?+
Corporate events are often one-day photo ops without data, policy education, or BIPOC recruitment priority. Un Mar offers monthly continuity, citizen science, environmental justice curriculum, and BIPOC-led stewardship for Point Loma communities.
Do cleanups provide community service hours?+
Yes — students receive certificates of community service with documented hours suitable for San Diego Unified School District requirements. Point Loma teens get verified environmental service, not generic parking-lot volunteer slots.
Can adults volunteer beyond cleanups?+
Yes — the Un Mar volunteer program welcomes adults 18+ from Point Loma for ongoing cleanup leadership, event support, and mentorship. Cleanups are the entry point to deeper movement participation.
Are ocean stewardship in Point Loma really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Point Loma are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Point Loma High, Cabrillo Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Point Loma family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do ocean stewardship happen in Point Loma?+
Primary water sessions run at Sunset Cliffs. Classroom components happen at Cabrillo National Monument (NPS) and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
What ages can enroll in Point Loma?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Point Loma specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Point Loma High, Cabrillo 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 Sunset Cliffs, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Point Loma, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Point Loma?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Point Loma, where 17% 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 Point Loma?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Point Loma surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 34%-BIPOC Point Loma 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 Point Loma, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Point Loma child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Point Loma High, Cabrillo Elementary and referrals from Cabrillo National Monument (NPS) and Point Loma Nazarene University. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Free means free. No hidden fees, no gear costs, no transportation charges for Point Loma participants.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Point Loma 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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