Something Beautiful Is Happening Here – A Letter from Maggie

As we celebrate the Alliance’s second birthday, I find myself reflecting on the future. How will our grandchildren view the choices we make today? What gifts do we carry—and are we using them well? What kind of ancestors do we want to be?

At a time when American society—and the world—seems to be pulling apart, it's up to us to strengthen the bonds that hold us together. It's not just important; it's essential to our well-being.

At the Alliance, we’re building a community rooted in learning, planning, and action—with water as our guide. Water is the basis of life, the great connector. If you’ve been with us on this journey, you’ve heard us speak often of regeneration. But what do we mean by that?

Regeneration is the way healthy ecosystems—living systems—heal, adapt, and thrive without relying on external input. Powered by sunlight and sustained by water, they create conditions for life to flourish. We believe human systems can do the same. Our lives, our economies, and our communities depend on it.

We humans are part of this living system. We are imaginative, collaborative choice-makers. And while we sometimes take more than we give, we can choose differently. We can give our gifts, honor our responsibilities, and create the conditions for life to thrive—for ourselves and for those who come after us.

The Alliance aspires to foster regeneration in the Mystic River Watershed—and, through ecological and cultural interconnectedness, across the entire bioregion. We believe this vision can only be realized through balanced co-leadership among youth, Indigenous, and non-tribal communities—especially here. Our shared values give us the courage to reconnect, to ease fear, and to move beyond division. We believe you’ll see these values reflected in yourself.

• Relationship: Mutuality, respect, and yes, love. We create space to share stories, listen deeply, stay curious, and meet polarization with compassion and purpose.

• Generosity: We give our gifts and talents freely, spend our privilege for others, and trust that the ripple effects will nourish us all.

• Gratitude: From savoring the glint of ice on a leaf to honoring the buzz of the season’s first bee, we remember we’re not alone. Gratitude strengthens relationships—and science tells us it strengthens our health, too.

• Responsibility: We show up—at every level—to stop harm, repair communities (human and more-than-human), and restore relationships. We support decision-makers by coordinating efforts and bringing resources, knowledge, and connection to the work.

These values aren’t just ideas—we put them into practice through every project we take on. As we build our Watershed Regeneration Action Plan (WRAP), we’re weaving these principles into action: regional collaboration, community learning events, youth leadership, co-design circles, and hands-on water stewardship.

This is co-leadership in action—where tribal and non-tribal communities, older adults and youth, come together to build trust and relational harmony, even across deep histories. When we truly listen to one another, we create something rare and precious.

Every gift you bring to the watershed—your time, values, expertise, funding, or even moral support—ripples outward. It magnifies through the work of the Alliance and contributes to the regeneration of our communities and ecosystems. That’s the power of a gift economy.

Something beautiful is happening here. And you are a part of it.

With gratitude,

Maggie