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Participation is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect our coastlines and strengthen our communities.
This Ocean Day and Hill Day season reminded us that environmental change does not begin only in institutions; it begins with people willing to show up, organize, educate, advocate, and use their voice for the places they love.
Last month, Surfrider Monterey was represented in both the 2026 DC Coastal Recreation Hill Day and California Ocean Day by Climate Action Lead Marjorie Rodriguez Bacarreza as part of the North Central California delegation. During meetings with elected officials and policymakers, our chapter advocated for stronger coastal protections, including opposition to new offshore oil drilling, the protection of NOAA coastal resilience programs, and increased funding and modernization of the BEACH Act.
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We appreciated the opportunity to meet with Congresswoman, Zoe Lofgren, and Assembly member, Diane Dixon, and discuss what these protections mean for coastal communities like ours: public health, environmental resilience, safe beach access, and the long-term sustainability of the places where we live, work, and recreate.
Representing Monterey County also meant bringing community realities into state and national conversations; highlighting how water quality, coastal access, tourism, and local economies are directly tied to environmental policy decisions. Through our Blue Water Task Force and climate advocacy efforts, we emphasized the need to move beyond reactive monitoring systems toward stronger prevention, pollution tracking, and long-term coastal protection.
From community outreach and volunteer coordination to policy advocacy and environmental education, we continue to witness how local participation creates real impact. Every cleanup, volunteer shift, public comment, and community conversation becomes part of a larger collective effort to protect our ocean, waves, and beaches for future generations.
As we continue building a stronger Monterey community through grassroots action, we are reminded that participation is not only about activism; it is about belonging, responsibility, and hope. This is why we believe that by protecting our shores, we protect our community.