Women in the Water’s April Newsletter!
Words By Lindsey Geier, photos by Jasmin Tupy
“Remember when we were 5 years old, we thought everyone was our friend and we knew we were awesome and loved? I want you to remember that version of you and bring it here. Don't overthink your answers. Let whatever wants to come up come out. Just be you.”- Lindsey Geier said while she was opening up for the “Speed Friending” event this past Thursday night.
Who Knew 3 Minutes Could Be So Fun?!
As we grow older, making friends seems to be a more daunting task. Instead of being the “new kid in class,” you could be the “new kid in town.” Instead of being busy with sports (also a social scene), you could be busy with work or family. Playdates turn into maybe happy hours or coffee chats. Getting asked personal questions tends to come more in an interview or first-date settings.
That is…unless you came to this event. A fun question, 3 minutes, and 6 new-to-you women were provided in hopes of making meeting someone new, easy, and fun again. And from what I witnessed…it worked. “Time and switch,” I had to yell as if I was at a sporting event because these women were so invested in their quickly made connection. The excited energy was palpable. I’d say this was a success. Might I add, the Potluck to cap off the night was a feast fit for Queens. We gabbed, we gobbled, we gleamed. Thank you to all who showed up and were kind.
Onto gabbing about the fantastic venue we had hosted by the Environmental Defense Center (EDC). Linda Krop, Azsha Hudson, and Brandi Webber opened up their quaint and picturesque courtyard to our WITW Community. The EDC is a force to be reckoned with. They work to protect and enhance the local environment through education, advocacy, and legal action. Please join them on June 9th for their Environmental Hero Award Ceremony where they will have live music, food, and an auction. If you are feeling the pull to be a part of their positive impact, please visit https://www.environmentaldefensecenter.org/volunteer/ for volunteer opportunities. Additionally, you can follow them on Instagram.
We also had Lily Poehler, a UCSB Environmental Studies student, share her stoke for stopping Microfibers from getting into our beloved Ocean and other waterways. Lily is leading a campaign called The Microfiber Initiative, aiming to reduce plastic microfiber pollution from textiles in the environment. She launched this campaign because she is highly concerned about the large quantity of plastic microfibers polluting the environment from home laundering, which makes up 35% of all microplastic pollution. Please join Lily in this effort by signing her petition and letter-writing campaign. You can also follow her on Instagram, where she shares information about the issue.
WITW & SB ChannelKeeper present: West Beach Cleanup & Sunset Picnic
Get ready for good vibes and a cleaner coastline! Join us on Monday, May 20th, at West Beach for a sunset beach cleanup event you won't want to miss.
Team up with the awesome folks from Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper and learn how they’re protecting our watersheds
Channel your competitive spirit with some friendly beach cleanup contests (sweet prizes up for grabs!)
Celebrate your hard work with a delicious sunset picnic – food and drinks are on us!
This is your chance to make a difference, meet cool people, and soak up our stunning Santa Barbara sunset views. Let's protect our beaches together!
You can RSVP here!
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds. Through science-based advocacy, education, fieldwork, and enforcement, Channelkeeper defends our community’s right to clean water and informs, inspires, and empowers people to speak and act for our waterways.
Dive In! Volunteer Opportunities!
WITW wants to remind you of all the incredible ways you can get involved and make a splash for our precious waters.
Volunteer Locally & Make a Difference:
Calling all Stoked Surfers and Friends! The Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival (SBSFF) is seeking passionate volunteers. Learn more and sign up at https://sbiff.org/film-festival/volunteer/
Do better and inspire others with the CEC (Community Environmental Council): https://cecsb.org/volunteer
WITW Wants You!
Beyond these amazing local opportunities, WITW is always looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our water-loving community. We offer a variety of ways to get involved, from event planning and social media management to volunteer coordination and educational outreach.
Ready to find your perfect volunteer fit with WITW? Fill out our volunteer interest form here!
Together, we can make a wave of positive change for our planet!
Contribute to our Community Through Art
We also invite you to visit our website to view Beneath the Surface. This page will showcase creative writing pieces by Lindsey Geier and those who want to share their own. Lindsey connects her writing to her life experiences through the thread of Water (and Nature). She creatively writes from emotion and uses it as a cathartic tool. She hopes it will inspire you in some way by relating, understanding, or feeling. Bits of it will be shared on IG.
From our hearts to yours, if we’ve met you or haven’t met you yet, we wish you Oceans of Love and Joy.
See you soon!
~ Women In the Water Team
Photography by Jasmin Tupy
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