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Suree Towfighnia | Department of Journalism and Media Production
The Waters Connect Us
As part of Filmmaker and Professor Suree Towfighnia鈥檚 ongoing water protection series, 鈥淭he Waters Connect Us,鈥� several cross-campus collaborators planned a day-long event highlighting Indigenous perspectives on water and land protection. This event, titled 鈥淪tories from the Colorado River Basin: Voices from the Indigenous Land + Water Protection,鈥� featured a panel discussion and a roundtable conversation that brought water use and its connecting qualities to the forefront. The event brought together panelists Louise Benally, Reuben Cruz, Leona Morgan, and Woman Stands Shining (Pat McCabe) in a discussion about the challenges their communities face due to threats to their local water sources.
In addition to a successful and thought-provoking event, approximately thirty 海角社区 students collaborated to produce several videos as part of the Water Stories series, practicing real-world video and documentary production skills. Later in the semester, many students, families, faculty, and staff attended an off-campus screening of this video series at the Bug Theatre.
This project had a direct impact on several campus groups, including faculty, staff, and students, and many community members beyond campus. Students from multiple classes attended the events and participated in the video-creation process. Notably, Lorien Dancer, an Individualized Degree Program and Journalism and Media Production student, served as Project Coordinator and gained valuable career experience in a variety of roles before graduating in Spring 2025.
After attending the events, many people mentioned feeling more connected to each other and to our natural resources. Prof. Towfighnia plans to continue promoting the videos and hopes to gain more attention for this important topic.
Hear from Prof. Towfighnia
“The CLAS Dean鈥檚 Innovation Fund was critical in creating the opportunity for our Journalism and Media Production students to connect with Indigenous leaders in environmental protection鈥攖ruly bringing the world to our classroom and our classroom to the world. Through the hard work of dozens of people, we hosted an inspiring panel, engaged the audience in a powerful conversation about Colorado River protection, trained students on professional production practices, and produced nine short videos that continue to find new audiences online. It鈥檚 opportunities like this that provide the fuel my teaching practice and allow students to gain real-world skills that benefit their career aspirations.” -Prof. Suree Towfighnia
Students from JMP 3420 and JMP 3435 record an interview with Leona Morgan, who is working to stop uranium transportation through Navajo (Din茅) lands. [photo: Josh Geurink]
Professor Suree Towfighnia interviews panelists who have dedicated their lives to protecting water, as student Mona Thompson records sound on a field mixer.
Some of the crew who worked with Professor Towfighnia (aka 鈥渢he client鈥�) on nine short documentaries and social media reels about the Colorado River with stories inspired by panelists.
Video Production majors Isabella Coronado (Right) and Kassidy Halbeisen (left) record behind-the-scenes footage for their JMP 3420 Video Production II project.
The panel was the motivation for the JMP 3420 video projects and featured stories from Indigenous land and water protectors with attendees coming from all over the region.
2025 graduate Rachel Martinez records the panel as part of the crew working on the event video for the project鈥檚 Wordpress site.
Crew members from the Behind the Scenes team review footage in the CAVEA classroom during the panel (left to right: Kassidy Halbeisen, Elijah Nason, Mona Thompson, Kalise McCurry, and Isabella Coronado).