WAVES Activism for Water Protection

There is a global water crisis. Our waters are polluted, inefficiently managed, and there are considerable disparities in accessing clean drinking water among communities.

WAVES aims to protect, restore, and revere water through a multimedia movement, encompassing art, film, and media campaigns, and community events. Through our work, we are creating ripples that deepen the relationship between water and humankind while bringing solutions to disadvantaged areas.

We are excited to announce that we have received funding to finish Phase 1 of our project. We raised $14,000 to complete the poetic dance narrative, Women of the Waters, for Global Water Dances. GWD uses the international languages of dance and film to promote awareness and behavioral shifts toward solutions for water preservation.

Thank you to all who have shared and supported our movement thus far. We sincerely appreciate your love and generosity in this endeavor.

Next steps: We are currently in post-production, working with cinematographer Danika Fuentes and film composer Russell Howard to bring to life the poetic prophecies of the Women of the Waters film.

A special thanks to:
Danika Fuentes, Videographer and Editor
Veronica Mercado, Producer, Director, Dancer
Maya Alexis, Producer, Director, Dancer
Brenna Desmond, Dancer
Natalie Vie, Dancer
Shakti Mayumi, Dancer
Russell Howard, Film Composer
The Pulse community for amplifying our message and prayers.

The Evolution of WAVES THE MOVEMENT
We are now working on Phase 2: Creating a campaign to promote advocacy on water through social media, film, community outreach, panels, and events.

What we have done:
We have interviewed water stewards at our Beach Clean up in Venice, Ca and the Unison Festival by the untouched Animas River in New Mexico that flows freely to the Pacific Ocean. We've interviewed one of Brazil's indigenous leaders, Benki Piyako, and contributed $7,000 to Yorenka Tasorentsi, an institute regenerating the Amazon Forest.

A special thanks to:
Leo Barbieri, Videographer
Brett Becker - Sound Engineer
Ace Ehlman, Videographer
Danika Fuentes - Videographer and EditorChristopher Gallo - Director of Photography
Teresa Stone, Andrew Eckart and the Unison and Common Ground Community

Betsy Bootslong
Skoden, Orlando Cruz
Eliane Fernandez
Tal Finney
Ashley Frey
Zack Giest
Jason Guanzon
Ron the Interpreter
Agnieszka Laskus
Mac Merlin
Cal Nez
Benki Piyako
Rafiki
Rudy Randa
Redtale
Della Romero
Adam Shield
Izzi Shield
Vanessa Woodman
Zenergy

What we aim to do:
Raise $50,000 for campaign research, production, and post-production of a short film that shares the stories of today's heroes. We will continue to interview leaders of various lineages, academic and scientific communities, mythologists, and artists to offer a comprehensive perspective that unifies our global community through localized lenses for water preservation and society’s wellness.

We will use the footage for campaign materials promoting water protection and highlighting practices with water that can benefit our emotional, physical, and mental health. We are seeing astonishing rates of depression, isolation, addiction, and violence in our communities and humanity. What does the world look like where our culture fosters deeper connections and stronger communities through being in touch with Nature? What if restoring our relationship with Nature can also fix our relationships with ourselves?

Creative campaigns: Through our documentation, we will be able to showcase current issues and foreseeable solutions regarding our mental health and water.

Educating and empowering communities: We educate and empower local and global communities with information on policies, behaviors, and technology that would clean and effectively manage water systems that are beneficial for our health and the planet.

Donate now and help us raise our goal by December 31 to complete our film, launch our media campaign, and host a screening and an immersive regenerative art and technology exhibit. Join us and be part of the movement that inspires a culture of reciprocity, raising consciousness, and helping humanity implement solutions to protecting and preserving our water.

Creators
Veronica Mercado is an intuitive healer, producer, and embodiment guide. She is a student of the Mystic Shaman Way with Dr. Raven Barbara Lee and earned her Masters in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. She has experience in non-profit leadership, community organizing, policy changes, fundraising, and documentary film production.

Maya Alexis is one of the producers of the Bombay Beach Biennale, a de-commodified art and philosophy festival. and works with Muse Productions. She collaborates with Idea Parade, an experiential PR firm. She is a multifaceted artist focused on creating dance documentary films. She has experience in performance art, creative direction, production, poetry, dance, choreography and intuitive improvisational dance.