Auraria Campus Invites You to Celebrate “Somos Agua”

Denver, CO: On Monday, November 3, 2025, The Auraria Campus, in collaboration with Sisters of Color United for Education and community partners across Colorado, invites our campus and local communities to join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the book SOMOS AGUA by Manuko G. Garcia, in the Tivoli Student Union Atrium, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

This free event will feature a short walk-through of the book and the Somos Agua mural series with the author, followed by a book signing. The program also includes special performances by Colorado Crew (Native Drummers) and Kalpulli ColorAztlan Quetzalcoatl Dancers, whose art and movement honor our shared connections to water, culture, and community. Food will be provided.

“At Auraria Campus, we believe culture is a living connection, one that unites students, artists, and neighbors through creativity and shared purpose,” says David Gilberto Olguin, Director of Auraria Campus Cultural and Community Engagement. “Somos Agua reminds us that art has the power to heal and bring people together around issues like protecting the water that sustains us all.”

This celebration is made possible through the collaboration of the Auraria Campus Department of Cultural and Community Engagement, Sisters of Color United for Education (healdenver.org), Gold Crown Clubhouse, LifeSpan Local, Sheridan Schools, Sheridan Library, the University of Colorado Denver Department of Anthropology, and Manuko’s Creative Communications.

Together, we honor water, community, and creativity — because Somos Agua. We are water.

In addition to the opening ceremony, there is other additional programming taking place over the next few months. All events will take place in John Goode in the Tivoli.

• “Healing Through Art” workshop, presented by MSU Denver Chicano/a Studies – Monday, Dec. 8 – 12-4 p.m.
• Children’s Art Activity – Monday, Jan. 26 – 10 a.m.-Noon
• Sisters of Color United for Education – Monday, Feb. 9 – Noon-4 p.m.
• Sustainability and Water – Monday, March 2 – Noon-4 p.m.

About Somos Agua

Somos Agua began in 2017 to honor the Water Protectors at Standing Rock. Artist and organizer Belinda Garcia started the project as a silk painting mural designed to educate communities about the importance of clean water and collective healing through art.

The first mural was completed at The Range art space in Saguache, Colorado, by students and residents from Center, Crestone, and Saguache. Since then, new murals have come to life across Jefferson County, Sheridan, and Denver, created in collaboration with Jeffco Indian Education, the International Indigenous Youth Council, and dozens of local families, educators, and artists.

Over 113 artists, ranging in age from four to 84 and representing communities from Colorado, California, Hawaii, Mexico, and El Salvador, have contributed to the project. Each mural has sparked conversations about water justice, health equity, and creative expression, with several displayed at the El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo, Colorado.

The evening will also feature a screening and discussion of digital stories created through Somos Agua, part of a University of Colorado Denver research study on water justice and collective healing, led by Dr. Marty Otañez and supported by the CU President’s Fund for the Humanities.

About Auraria Campus

Auraria Campus is home to the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver. The campus is a vibrant, diverse community of over 45,000 students, educators, staff, and businesses in the heart of Denver. Through art, education, and community partnerships, the campus is committed to honoring cultural traditions, amplifying diverse voices, and fostering inclusive spaces for learning and celebration.

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