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ABOUT US

MISSION

Milwaukee Water Commons is a cross-city network that fosters connection, collaboration and broad community leadership on behalf of our common waters.

We promote stewardship of, equitable access to and shared decision-making for our common waters.

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VISION

Milwaukee is a model Water City where we all have a stake in the health of our waters and all share in their
stewardship as well as their benefits.

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OUR FOUR ORGANIZING FRAMEWORKS

WE ARE ALL MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS

The Commons

Environmental Justice

Community Engagement

Collective Impact

HOW WE ORGANIZE...

  1. Community Engagement

    • Sustainable community engagement requires trust​

    • Building trust is a process

    • Not transactional, but relational

  2. The Jemez Principles (see the full document here)

    • Be inclusive​

    • Emphasis on bottom-up organizing

    • Let people speak for themselves

    • Work together in solidarity and mutuality

    • Build just relationships among ourselves

    • Commitment to self-transformation

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WE BELIEVE...

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  • Water is an essential element for all life on Earth. ​

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  • Water belongs to no one and cannot be owned. 

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  • We recognize the gift of the Great Lakes; they have nurtured our ancestors and shaped us as a people and as a community. They continue to sustain us. 

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  • We all have a profound responsibility to protect and pass on clean and abundant fresh water to future generations.

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  • Decisions about the care and and use of our waters must involve all of us.

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