Water is Memory: An Intergenerational Workshop on Storytelling, Healing, and Sustainability

As part of the UCAR funded project entitled – Enhancing Water Ecosystem Resilience Through Revitalizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), led by PI Dr. Shakila Merchant and Co-PIs Dr. Smita Ekka Dewan, Dr. Vartika Saman and Dr. Naresh Devineni, an indigenous community-led workshop on Water is Memory: Intergenerational Storytelling Across Waters was hosted by CUNY CREST team and led by Ms. Delilah Ramos, Program Director, Urban Indigenous Community (UIC) to honor water as a living source of memory, healing, and sustainability.

Centered on the Hudson and East Rivers, the event brought together elders, youth, and community members for meaningful intergenerational storytelling and knowledge exchange. The workshop was held on December 5, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Urban Indigenous Collective (UIC) in New York City. The event was supported through a grant from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). 

The evening began with an opening circle featuring a traditional song and prayer honoring water, led by UIC Elders and Knowledge Keepers Marianne Almero and Sutton King. This was followed by a fireside chat where elders and water protectors shared teachings on sacred waters, conservation, and healing practices. Participants then engaged in creative story-documentation breakouts using collage-making, drawings, and short written reflections. The workshop documented traditional water stories, explored water’s role in emotional and physical well-being, and connected historical water stewardship practices with contemporary sustainability and mental health efforts.