The Revolution Will Be Watered: Mexico City's Grass Roots Movement

I Am Interchange

We often find ourselves looking to leaders and governments to direct solutions for our increasingly complex problems, but what better place to look than at a problem’s source. As Mexico City struggles under the yoke of a burgeoning population and ever-dwindling resources, particularly water, it may find itself at the forefront of innovation, of those sorts of grassroots efforts that eventually dictate structural change. In this case, residents of the city have long utilized creative strategies for water harvest, capture, reuse, and urban gardening, thereby reducing their reliance on government and supply chains. These everyday people simply looked at a problem and solved it, to the best of their ability, with what they had. They made resources last. And, in so doing, they fed into their own autonomy. They became proactivists in their lives, livelihoods, and the future of their beloved city.

In this podcast, Tate Chamberlin hosts Enrique Lomnitz, and Gabriela Vargas Romero as they reflect on the city’s resilient population, innovative regenerative solutions, and hope, in all its vibrant colors.