Water Futures in Michigan, Kenya and Oaxaca

Water — we’re always hearing that we should conserve it, but we turn on a tap and there it is. It’s something that literally falls from the sky. Here in Michigan, we’re surrounded by water. Yet, across the country, the state is known for its “water crisis.” This exhibit explores global water inequities and sustainability, presenting its meaning, beauty and complexity as it relates to human beings around the globe.

A collaboration between Wayne State, the University of California, Berkeley, and We the People of Detroit Community Research Collective, the "Water Futures Exhibit" highlights how geography, climate, policy, infrastructure and systemic inequities have historically shaped access to clean water. With mounting challenges from climate change, development, mining and rising treatment costs, the exhibit explores global struggles for water security.

Featuring case studies from Michigan, Kenya’s Makueni region and Oaxaca, Mexico, the exhibit also showcases Indigenous approaches to valuing water, offering alternative perspectives on hydrosocial relationships.