Ocean Stewards After-School
Free after-school program for Oceanside teens ages 13–17. Tutoring, environmental literacy, career exploration, and surf instruction three days a week.
Learn about Ocean StewardsUn Mar de Colores — Free Youth Surf & Ocean Conservation Programs in Oceanside, California
We nurture the next generation of ocean stewards by breaking down systemic barriers to the ocean, creating space for healing, joy, and future ocean leaders through surfing, surf therapy, environmental education, and mentorship.
Our Vision
We envision an inclusive ocean community where every young person feels they belong in nature and grows into a leader protecting our shared ocean and future.
Our impact since 2020
Dive Deeper0
+ youth supported since 2020.
0
free for all participants.
0
hours connecting youth to the ocean in 2025
0
of applicant children had never surfed before joining.
0
communities across San Diego County.
0
of Un Mar de Colores families qualify for public assistance.
Why Our Work Matters
From the gap, to the medicine,
to the next generation.
Five truths about the ocean, young people, and what happens when access is real.
01 · The Opportunity
3×
more likely — communities of color live in nature-deprived areas
Decades of redlining locked the ocean's promise behind systemic barriers.
02 · The Threshold
31%
of San Diegans feel unsafe in outdoor spaces
Racial profiling and exclusion shape who feels they belong in nature.
03 · The Generation
40%
of US high schoolers report persistent sadness or hopelessness
Up from 30% a decade ago — a generation looking for somewhere to be whole.
04 · The Medicine
44%
reduction in depression after surf therapy
SDSU peer-reviewed study. 38% drop in PTSD symptoms. The ocean is the medicine.
05 · The Future
Sea
↓
Stewardship
Early ocean access builds lifelong environmental action
Stehl et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology (2024).
Where Un Mar de Colores Comes In
We don't just open the door to the ocean — we walk through it with the youth who've been told it wasn't theirs. That's how the opportunity becomes real.
Sources: Center for American Progress, The Nature Gap (2020). San Diego Natural History Museum, Healing Through Nature Community Needs Assessment (2025), funded by The Prebys Foundation. CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2023). San Diego State University & Operation Surf, Wave of Change: Assessing surf therapy's psychological and physiological benefits for military veterans (2024) — building on the work of the International Surf Therapy Organization and the Blue Mind movement (Wallace J. Nichols). Stehl et al. (2024), From childhood blue space exposure to adult environmentalism, Journal of Environmental Psychology.
CAP•SDNHM & Prebys•CDC YRBS•SDSU & Operation Surf•Stehl et al.
Updates & Upcoming Events
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He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldnt even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water.
— Middle school student
— Parent, One Ocean
Our Partners
Watch
Un Mar x Fox Point Farms
Un Mar x SlowTide x DJ Javier
Oceanside Ocean Stewards
Backcountry Feature
Surf Fiesta
Free Youth Ocean Programs in Oceanside, California
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. Through scholarship-based youth programs, ocean education, and cultural arts, we work alongside Latino, Indigenous, and Black communities to expand coastal access, build environmental stewardship, and empower the next generation of ocean advocates — all at no cost to participating families.
Our Youth Programs
One Ocean Scholarship
Year-long surf therapy, ocean education, and cultural arts program for 30 BIPOC youth ages 6–12 per cohort.
Learn about One OceanWatershed Explorers
Overnight summer program exploring watersheds from Cuyamaca to the coast — hands-on science, culture, and stewardship.
Learn about Watershed ExplorersSurf Athletic Scholarships
Gear, coaching, mentorship, and competition pathways for BIPOC youth and teens across San Diego County.
Learn about Surf ScholarshipsFree Programs Across San Diego County
Surf LessonsFree surf instruction for BIPOC youth ages 6–17Surf CampFree week-long summer surf immersionAfter-School ProgramOcean Stewards: tutoring, environmental literacy, surf instructionSurf TherapyOcean-based mental health and mentorship for BIPOC youthOcean StewardshipCoastal conservation and environmental justice educationWatershed EducationFrom mountain streams to open oceanSurf Athletic ScholarshipCompetition pathways for BIPOC surfersCultural Arts & StorytellingIndigenous and Latino voices of the coastVolunteer ProgramsJoin the movement — cleanups, mentorship, and events
Serving the Cali-Baja Coast
Our scholarship-based programs reach youth across North County San Diego and the Tijuana River watershed — from coastal Oceanside and Encinitas to inland communities in Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Chula Vista, and beyond.
- Youth Programs — Oceanside & North County
- Ocean Stewards After-School Program
- One Ocean Scholarship
- Watershed Explorers — San Diego County
- Surf Athletic Scholarships
- Free Surf Lessons — All San Diego County Cities
- Surf Lessons in Oceanside
- Surf Lessons in Carlsbad
- Surf Lessons in Encinitas
- Surf Programs in Oceanside (Overview)
- Surf Programs in Encinitas (Overview)
- Surf Programs in San Diego (Overview)
Why Un Mar de Colores
We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone. In a region where 53,000+ Oceanside Unified students live minutes from the coast, most BIPOC youth have never had access to the water. Our scholarship programs change that — free, year-round, with certified bilingual instructors and all equipment provided.
Our work sits at the intersection of ocean equity, cultural storytelling, and cross-border watershed health. Join us as a volunteer or donor.
Credentials & Alignment
