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Building on decades of community-driven advocacy, the Santa Cruz River Refuge coalition is made up of over 40 founding members from southern Arizona. The organizing committee of the coalition includes members and leadership from:
Adelita S. Grijalva, Pima Co Board of Supervisors, Chair, District 5
Alisha Vasquez
Antonio Ramirez
Anthony Nelson
Arizona Land and Water Trust
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Barrio Neighborhood Coalition
Calabasas Alliance
Center for Biological Diversity
Cienega Watershed Partnership
Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection
Corazón Latino Inc
Diana Hadley
Favor Celestial
Friends of the Santa Cruz
Gloria Fenner
Ironwood Tree Experience
Joanie Sawyer
Jose Maria Menendez
Josefina Cardenas
Kathleen G. Williamson, J.D., LL.M., Ph.D.
Kara Harter
Kelly Badeau
Kevin Dahl, Vice Mayor and Ward 3 Councilmember
Laiken Jordahl
Lane Santa Cruz, Ward 1 Councilmember
Leigh Sontheimer
Logan Phillips
Los Desendientes de Tucson
Luis Alfredo Salagado
Mauro Trejo
Maxie Adler
Menlo Park Neighborhood Association
Mexican American Heritage and History Museum Mission Garden
Raul Ramirez
Reconciliación en el Río
Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area
Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative
Sloane Haywood
Sky Island Alliance
Sonoran Institute
The Arizona Native Plant Society
The Sierra Club
The Wilderness Society
Trust for Public Land
Tucson Audubon Society
Tucson Birthplace Open Space Coalition (TBOSC)
Tucson Herpetological Society
Tucson Mountains Association
University of Arizona
Watershed Management Group
YWCA of Southern Arizona
“A ribbon of water reflecting the sky”
by Maxie Adler
It was an honor to design the logo for the Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge campaign, one that I’ve been actively involved in and wholeheartedly support. Because this logo serves as a unifying symbol of our coalition, I started the design process by sending a survey to all SCRUNWR Coalition members. I asked simple questions, such as, “When you think about the Santa Cruz River, what are some images or words that come to mind?” I received many beautiful responses and mapped out the similarities to create an image that properly serves as our identity for this important effort.
It’s no surprise that water was included in every response, so the Santa Cruz River is the central image in the logo. Connectivity and gathering place were also common responses, and mention of the Santa Cruz River as passageway for everyone: plants, all types of animals, and people. The logo depicts this confluence of water, cottonwoods and cattail, dragonflies, Gila-top minnows, turtles, birds, javelina, coyotes, all walking from the river banks to the Sentinel Peak, with the downtown Tucson city skyline and The Chuck Huckelberry Loop lining the river– truly a place for all.
One coalition member responded, a ribbon of water reflecting the sky, and this imagery inspired me. Reversely, I imagined the sky reflecting our beloved Santa Cruz River, because the strength and efforts of this community makes me feel the sky’s the limit, and the river is our ultimate symbol of hope. Coalition members also requested the logo establish place. Tucson’s name is derived from the O’odham word “S-cu:k Ṣoñ/Chukshon,” meaning “at the black base,” what is now called Sentinel Peak or A-Mountain. All of the animals are walking towards this iconic place, to honor Tucson’s Birthplace, our past, and the work we are doing towards a more just future.
This is a community-led conservation project.
We hope to invite community to join this coalition, at the level of engagement that best suits them. Please email axie_navas@tws.org or rebecca_perez@tws.org to sign up for our newsletter.