Connecting with Ancestors Through Water by Brandon Francis

How can water connect you with the past? Brandon Francis shares how water has impacted his life as a farmer and how water also connects him with his ancestors.

This video is part of the We are Water story collection. These stories explore the diverse experiences and unique perspectives about water from people who live in the Four Corners Region of the Southwestern United States. To hear more stories or share your own story about water, visit the We are Water website.

August 7, 2024

Video Theme

Community Stories

Water Resource Stories

Audience

Lifelong Learners

Program Reference

We are Water (WaW)

About the Presenter Header

About the Presenter

Brandon Francis is a plant researcher whose family has stewarded corn in the Black Mesa, NM area for several generations. He began his work with sustainable food systems at the Old Fort Lewis in Hesperus, CO where he completed an internship and apprenticeship in sustainable agriculture methods. He has worked as a Research Laboratory Technician, Education Resource Coordinator and is currently a Graduate Research Assistant for NMSU at the Agricultural Science Center in Farmington, NM. As part of his research, he has been conducting high-elevation, Three Sisters experiments with seed varieties endemic to the Southwest, while deepening his connection to his Diné heritage through agriculture.

Additional Resources

We Are Water (WAW):

Water, critical and scarce in the Four Corners Region, connects local communities through our shared place and unique stories.

We are Water (WaW) brings a traveling exhibit and interactive programs to rural communities in the Four Corners Region of the U.S. and engages community members in conversations about their personal and community connections to local water topics. Libraries in rural areas, which often function as the local science center, will host the exhibit, programs, and STEM experiences in their communities.

Visit our website at WeareWater.Colorado.edu to view activities and hear recorded stories about water from people across the Four Corners Region.