Updated August 30, 2023
AWRA’s policy is to choose conference locations without consideration of political positions held by local or state organizations in that region, and holding a meeting in any location does not constitute an endorsement by this association of any policies of that locality.
Guided by our values, the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) uses its annual and regional conferences to expand ongoing dialogue and create opportunities for constructive engagement in different cities and states across the United States and abroad. Our mission supports all our members, students, AWRA State Sections, AWRA Student Chapters, partners, and stakeholders, ensuring we meet them wherever they live and work.
Given the political climate in this country, this means that we likely find ourselves in areas where some actions and policies are not aligned with AWRA’s core values as well as our adopted AWRA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement: academic freedom, social justice, and respect for diverse viewpoints. We also recognize that, as a result, some public employees are restricted from traveling to these states. The reality is that political winds are constantly changing, and the size and geography of our community require us to secure locations for the annual conference and specialty conferences three to five years in advance.
We take our values with us wherever we go. In partnership with AWRA State Sections and local organizations in each host city, we use our platform and conference programming to affirm our commitment to constructive conversations, social justice, and DEI work through meaningful action. Creating space for differing perspectives is at the heart of our work; meaningful multidisciplinary conversations are critical to building bridges across communities. We must not allow our voices to be silenced, and we must support our members who live in places where content and discourse have been limited.