WE ARE D5 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
November 2024
Hi friends,
We have a lot to be thankful for this month in our community-- from our friends and family and the many organizations and groups improving and enhancing our community to our spectacular Sonoran Desert environment, we are lucky to live in this beautiful place. During November, we honor Native American Heritage Month and, as our Pima County Land Acknowledgment reminds us each time we say it, we strive toward building equal-partner relationships with Arizona's tribal nations. We also recognize Veteran's Day and extend our appreciation to the many County employees and residents who have served our country. To those who celebrated Thanksgiving, we hope that you had a very happy Thanksgiving with loved ones-- we are thankful for our D5 familia! If you observed the National Day of Mourning, we hope that you had a reflective day in solidarity with community.
As always, we are here to serve our community so please feel free to reach out to our office at district5@pima.gov anytime and follow us on social media to stay updated on what we are up to.
Thanks,
(Para español, haga click en el botón de arriba a la derecha y seleccione el idioma español.)
Thank you, District 5 and Pima County, for the privilege of serving as your D5 Supervisor for another term! I look forward to continuing the work we've accomplished over the past four years!
THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT 5
YOUTH SPOTLIGHT
Photo taken during the International Day of the Girl Celebration with Mini Poderosas
Kii'yaa'nii Ross is 8 years old and is Diné, Yaqui, and Purepecha. She has, at her young age, already been heavily involved in championing our environment and the protection and enhancement of a climate future for herself and other young people her age through her membership with EcoTruths for Indigenous Youth. From joining panels to discuss water issues and speaking in documentaries about environmental policy to advocating for the naming of Arizona's newest wild jaguar in the O'odham language, honoring the sacred meaning of the jaguar to many Indigenous communities, Kii'yaa'nii has shown that it is never too early to start speaking up for important causes!
Felicidades!
D5 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
VECINOS IN ACTION
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Photo courtesy of Rick Wiley, Arizona Daily Star
One of the best things about our community is the diverse range of small and local businesses specializing in the unique artisanal and cultural offerings that can only be found here in Pima County. The Southwest Native Trading Post, at 301 W. Ajo Way, is one of these spots! The store is full of Indigenous artwork, crafts, clothing and textiles, and more. Artists and vendors from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the Tohono O'odham Nation, as well as other nations throughout Arizona, are represented. Come and explore the Southwest Native Trading Post, operated by the nonprofit Native Music Coalition, and support shopping small, local, and Native!
Photo from the Sugar Hill Mural Community Paint Day
D5 is proud to have over 50 different neighborhood associations within our district all working to improve their communities in so many ways! One example is Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association, led by President Jack Anderson, which has been able to offer a variety of neighborhood supports to residents through the development of a Community Land Trust, hosting beautification events like the Sugar Hill Mural Community Paint Day, and organizing gatherings like the Day After Thanksgiving Neighborhood Event to bring neighbors together. Congratulations on your creativity, dedication, and hard work to enhance Sugar Hill for all who live there and all who visit!
POLICY UPDATES
SOMOS D5 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATES
Every month, D5 will be highlighting an accomplishment that directly meets the goals and priorities of our Somos D5 Strategic Plan.
Representatives from Pima County, Santa Cruz County, the City of Tucson, environmental advocates, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gathered at the Historic Raul M. Grijalva Canoa Ranch for the official signing of the Memoranda of Understanding recognizing the partnership and shared commitment by these entities to the protection of the Santa Cruz River, which runs through both Pima and Santa Cruz counties and represents a significant cultural and environmental part of what makes Southern Arizona a special place. Our D5 Strategic Plan calls on us to advocate for our natural environment, including our waterways, through policy and engagement. The future of this river is our responsibility to steward and this partnership will enhance protection of the river and its invaluable riparian habitat for wildlife to thrive and for ourselves—and more importantly, our children and future generations— to enjoy.
Check out our Somos D5 Strategic Plan webpage to learn more about each of our priorities or click the button below to dowload our complete Strategic Plan!
NOVEMBER
Mosaic Quarter Groundbreaking
An exciting morning with Mosaic Quarter, Pima County, and a community of supporters for the groundbreaking of the future Mosaic Quarter sports and entertainment complex on the southside! This state-of-the-art facility will be a destination for youth sports, community events, and recreation, being a shared vision here in Pima County of a healthier, more connected community. The Mosaic Quarter represents years of hard work by several project partners, and this investment in our young people, the teams that will find homes here, and our community is a major opportunity for future success. I look forward to Mosaic Quarter being a place and space where people want to go!
City of South Tucson Inauguration
Felicidades to the newly sworn in City of South Tucson Mayor and Council members! The Inauguration ceremony was a wonderful and inspiring event to celebrate the newly inductees in office. Thank you to the newly elected Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela, Vice Mayor Melissa Brown Dominguez, and Acting Mayor Pablo Robles— looking forward to strengthening our collaboration and improving our Pueblo within a city, South Tucson!
State of the Region with the Tucson Metro Chamber
Glad that Pima County had the opportunity to participate in a multi-jurisdictional panel during the inaugural State the Region, hosted by the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce— the discussion highlighted some of the economic development efforts taking place throughout the region and it was good to see the variety of businesses, nonprofits, and local governments in attendance.
MEC Teen Town Hall
An inspiring afternoon with over 100 young people from all around Pima County at the Metropolitan Education Commission’s Teen Town Hall! Glad to see this wonderful event return— a day-long opportunity for students to discuss the issues that are most important to them and our community with peers, elected officials, and youth mentors. Congratulations to all of the organizers and student volunteers and exciting to see how engaged our young people are in our futures!
70th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education
It was great to be in community at the Dunbar Pavilion to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education—honoring the seven decades that have passed since the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, the landmark decision that outlawed segregation in public schools. While we have won many battles, there is much work to do! As keynote speaker Benjamin F. Wilson reminded us, “You don’t have to be a man or physically imposing to change the world.” Congratulations to Dr. Corrado Gómez and Rubin Salter, Jr. who were honored for their contributions in advocating for equity and inclusion for children in Tucson!
60th Anniversary of Camp Cooper
No better way to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the beautiful Cooper Center for Environmental Learning (Camp Cooper) than by cutting the ribbon for the brand new eco-friendly bathrooms and accessible trail at Camp Cooper! Incredible to see how many educators, students, and community supporters came out for this event— over the past six decades, generations of Tucson Unified School District students have found a love of nature, wildlife, and science in this incredible outdoor classroom and it is so special that this educational partnership exists. Thank you to the dedicated staff who have put their energy into making sure that Camp Cooper remains a true gem in our community!
World Baseball Classic Press Conference
A very exciting opportunity to join Pima County Administration, staff from the Kino Sport Center, athletics and community advocates, and the World Baseball Classic to celebrate Tucson being one of the host sites for the 2025 qualifiers for the 2026 World Baseball Classic! As we heard during the event, Tucson has been a baseball town for over 70 years and the anticipation was high for the press conference announcing that baseball is back in Southern Arizona in a big way. Can’t wait to welcome attendees from all around the world for this qualifier and proud to have our community on display for this amazing celebration of baseball and sportsmanship!
TUSD Family Resource Center Holiday Share
No better way to start the lead up to Thanksgiving than by helping Tucson Unified School District with their goal of distributing turkeys and Thanksgiving meals to 1,000 families during their Holiday Share event! Thank you to all of the volunteers helped assemble bags, guide cars through the line, and handed out food, and especially event organizer Jeff Sawyer and the team with the TUSD Family Resource Centers— because of your support, so many families will have a great Thanksgiving dinner this year. We’re thankful for you!