Storytelling Shoreline Futures: Youth Visioning and Action
Two grants of $300,000; one in 2025, one in 2025.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline, Eden Landing Ecological Preserve, and Palo Alto Baylands Preserve; Alameda and Santa Clara Counties; Measure AA Regions: East and South Bay.
Safe, Clean Water and Pollution Prevention Program; Vital Fish, Bird and Wildlife Habitat Program; Shoreline Public Access Program.
Save The Bay, the Exploratorium, game designers, and storytellers
December 2025: This project was awarded a further grant of $300,000 through the Community Grants Program to implement the Community Activation and Shoreline Restoration Through Storytelling Project, which consists of: (1) providing a 6-month paid internship to approximately 32 Oakland youth to empower and educate them on shoreline and climate justice issues through storytelling; (2) conducting shoreline habitat restoration and enhancement in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties; and (3) hosting a series of community events that will engage the public on shoreline restoration activities, storytelling, and role-playing games.
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2025 UPDATE: The project had selected 12 youth to be part of their programming. They have learned about environmental justice topics and storytelling within a social justice lens. In partnership with Save The Bay, the youth have completed hands-on restoration activities. The project also held their Community Day of Action in summer 2025; dozens of community members and families came out to participate in live action role playing led by the 12 youth program participants.
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This Community Grant of $300,000 funds the Mycelium Youth Network (MYN) to develop and implement the Storytelling Shoreline Futures: Youth Visioning and Action project, which consists of: 1) empowering and educating approximately 12 youth on shoreline and climate justice issues through the power of storytelling; 2) conducting shoreline habitat restoration and enhancement; and 3) hosting a community event that will engage approximately 150-300 members in shoreline restoration activities, artmaking, and role-playing games at three shoreline locations in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.
Oakland’s economically disadvantaged communities are at the forefront of the challenges posed by sea level rise, flooding, toxic and hazardous waste, and other issues affecting the Oakland shoreline. The city’s youth, particularly those from communities of color, face a shortage of education and preparation in confronting these climate-related challenges. To address this issue, MYN will partner with Save The Bay, the Exploratorium, game designers, and storytellers to develop and implement a five-month Leadership in Storytelling (LiS) program, focused on community visioning and restoration enhancement work.
