“We are restoring not only the river, but our relationships with each other.”

Protectors of the Salt River is a grassroots movement for ecological restoration, Indigenous-led stewardship, and community empowerment.

Our mission: to heal the land, water, and people by honoring cultural traditions and creating a future of justice and sustainability.

What if planning began with the wisdom of the people who already call a place home?

In Jacksonville’s Durkeeville community, neighbors are advancing a vision that reframes the narrative of urban revitalization. For too long, “revitalization” in Black neighborhoods has been a euphemism for gentrification, new wealth flowing in, long-time residents pushed out, culture erased, and memory bulldozed.

Sombra aims to reimagine shade as cultural infrastructure, activating underutilized public spaces across Phoenix with artistic shade structures co-designed by local artists and youth. The series is being implemented in partnership with the City’s Office of Heat Response and Mitigation and the Office of Arts and Culture, with strategic support from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

My is grounded in the belief that transformative justice is possible when communities lead the way. As we reflect on lessons from Ora Schub, Cheryl Graves, and Mariame Kaba—visionaries in Chicago’s justice-for-youth movement— I recognize the power of grassroots leadership in building a restorative justice hub infrastructure. Their work in developing circles in Wentworth Gardens public housing, introducing Girl Talk in the juvenile detention center, and leading citywide movement-building efforts offer crucial insights into sustaining community-led justice practices.

A Systems Approach to Environmental Justice and Restoration Along the Salt River

The Salt River is a waterway—it’s a mirror reflecting both the harm of systemic inequities and the hope of what’s possible when communities reclaim their power. For generations, the river sustained the Akimel O’Otham and Pee Posh tribes, provided fertile ground for agriculture, and served as a cultural cornerstone. But a combination of water policies, industrial zoning, and urban development stripped the river of its flow, degraded its ecosystems, and disrupted community ways of life.