The POLIS Water Sustainability Project is turning 20 this year! We couldn’t have made it this far without the support of our colleagues, partners, advisors, funders, water leaders, and many many supporters across B.C. (and beyond!) who give their time and energy and continually champion the necessary and crucial work of water sustainability and watershed security. To celebrate some of the people who have made this milestone possible, POLIS Communications Director Laura Brandes got in touch with several “POLIS alumni” to find out what they’ve been up to since leaving POLIS, and to ask if there are lessons from their POLIS days that they still carry with them…
German Ocampo originally joined the POLIS team as a work study student in 2018, while he completed his studies at the University of Victoria in Political Science, Environmental Studies, Human Geography, and Ecological Restoration. He returned to the team from 2020 to 2021 as our Communications and Research Assistant. His current work focuses on Indigenous food sovereignty through the Indigenous Food Systems Network. During his career, German has worked at Friends of Clayoquot Sound in Tofino (traditional Tla-o-qui-aht territory), where he dedicated his time to building community resiliency through environmental education and informed advocacy. He has also worked on a variety of projects based in Victoria (unceded Coast Salish territory) concerning food security/sovereignty issues, decolonization of the cultural landscape, as well as education as a social justice and anti-poverty issue. German truly believes that to have healthy thriving communities we must start by having a reciprocal relationship with each other and the natural environment that gives us life.
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Laura Brandes: What is your current job and how long have you been there?
German: I’m currently the Communications Director at the Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty.
Laura: What was your job title at POLIS, and what did your role involve?
German: I had the pleasure to work in the Communications & Research Assistant position and focused on designing communication materials for various purposes and audiences.
Laura: What was your biggest contribution to the work at POLIS? And what were the impacts of that work?
German: I was proud to design the Changing Attitudes. Changing Waters. 2020 Freshwater Community Survey. This survey compiled people’s attitudes towards water sustainability and provided an amazing snap shot of opinions of the moment.
Laura: And in terms of impact, there is a story that emerges from the data we’ve collected from these surveys over time—from the first one we did around 2012 to the most recent one in 2021. Over that decade or so, we’ve see a growing consensus—across demographics, rural-urban geographies, and the political spectrum—that fresh water cannot be taken for granted, and strong public interest in action from governments. The recent announcement from the B.C. provincial government committing to a $100 million Watershed Security Fund is, in part, the result of the public’s growing awareness and concern around these exact issues. I love that your design skills communicating the 2020 survey results are part of this story, too.
Laura: Are there any skills or lessons from your POLIS days that you still carry with you today?
German: I gained critical skills in communications and continue to use them daily.
Laura: What adventures have you been on since leaving POLIS? Are there any major milestones—either personally or professionally—that you’d like to share?
German: Personally, I have been in many adventures, both nationally and internationally, but I will leave those for the autobiography. Professionally, I am extremely proud to work with Indigenous leaders at the forefront of reframing our relationship to the lands and waters.
Laura: Now that you can look at the work of POLIS from a distance, what are your thoughts? Are we achieving what we should be? Where do you think we’re having the biggest impact?
German: Yes, I am super grateful for all the work POLIS does and know that their efforts are having a great impact. The way POLIS brings together stakeholders around the table to focus on watershed-level issues breaks down barriers and encourages the level of collaboration needed for lasting change.
Laura: There are some big concepts that are central to our ongoing work at POLIS—like ecological governance and watershed security. What do these concepts mean to you? And, in particular, has your understanding of these ideas changed over time, based on where your career has taken you and what you’ve learned in the last 20 years?
German: These concepts are more important than ever and continue to be a guiding post for my professional career. These concepts are based on the ground-level understanding that we live in a reciprocal relationship with the lands and waters and we must act with care and respect every step of the way.
Laura: Do you have any favourite POLIS memories you’d like to share?
German: I only have good memories of working at POLIS. I loved every part of it, but my favourite part was being able to partake in key discussions at the Watersheds forums. Also, the hangouts after the events were very fun!
