MWDOC Public Affairs Manager and Local Artist Unveils Stella #13 by Municipal Water District of Orange County May 3, 2022 Member Submitted News This past April, a wave of illustrated, eight-foot-long baby gray whale statuettes, affectionately named “Stella,” flooded Orange County for the Wyland Foundation’s “Streams of Hope” public art and community clean-up campaign. As part of this action-based campaign, local artists and high school students from across Orange County were selected to portray their ideas about good water stewardship and pollution prevention. The completed statuettes were placed in public spaces all over the county serving as a visual reminder of the role we play in protecting our ocean and waterways. Among the many talented artists was Tiffany Baca, long-time Garden Grove resident and the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) Public Affairs Manager. “When gathering interest from Orange County water providers for their participation in this countywide campaign, I couldn’t let the city I’ve made home for the past two decades not be represented,” she stated. Baca had the unique experience of incorporating her personal talent as an artist with her professional expertise as an award-winning communicator to inspire her community to take action. Her piece, “Earth is What We Have in Common,” intricately tells a story of the connection between people, plants, and animals with an inspiring message to protect the land and sea that nourish us. “Since the beginning of time, people have depended on resources from the Earth for everything we need for survival and for the health and prosperity of our communities,” Baca stated. “I see the gifts that a healthy environment provides when we take care of it and know without a doubt that each one of us is powerfully part of the solution.” Baca’s statuette currently resides at Atlantis Play Center in the City of Garden Grove. To read more about the inspiration behind Stella #13, visit https://express.adobe.com/page/OZH8CMTnnWHxW/. The Streams of Hope campaign was developed in partnership with the Wyland Foundation, Municipal Water District of Orange County, OC Stormwater’s Adopt a Channel, Orange County Conservation Corps., and participating water providers. Additional information about Streams of Hope can be found on the campaign website, www.mystreamsofhope.com, along with a living map of Stella placements across Orange County, local events, and ways to get involved. ### The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) is a wholesale water provider and resource planning agency whose efforts focus on sound planning and appropriate investments in water supply development, water use efficiency, public information, legislative advocacy, water education, and emergency preparedness.