Surfrider exists for the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches for all people. That mission can feel big, but at the local level it becomes tangible. Surfrider's Los Angeles chapter drives this mission with neighbors showing up for beach cleanups, volunteers tracking water quality, community members speaking up for coastal policy, and everyday choices that reduce pollution before it reaches our shorelines. It’s hard to leave a room full of action-oriented people without feeling hopeful.
Here in LA, we don’t need reminders that the threats to our coast are real—climate change impacts, offshore oil drilling pressures, pollution, contribute to a steady stream of local issues that can dramatically change a coastal community. However, we started this year with something that matters just as much as urgency: camaraderie. The kind that comes from showing up with people who care deeply, roll up their sleeves, and commit to the long haul.
On Sunday, January 25, our Executive Committee and core volunteers gathered to kick off our work for 2026. It was part welcome-back, part reset, and part spark—time to reflect on what we learned, connect as a team, and recommit to the mission we share with every Surfrider chapters across the nation.
Surfrider is a network of grassroots activists, and our LA chapter is no exception. People balancing jobs, school, families, and full lives make time to protect the places we love. Our Executive Committee helps guide that energy into meaningful action—supporting volunteers, strengthening programs, building partnerships, and keeping our chapter connected to Surfrider’s larger grassroots network.
At the national level, Surfrider advances coastal protection through policy, legal strategies, science, research, and partnerships—while chapters like ours make that work tangible at the community level.
In LA, this often means:
We’re proud to be part of a network that pairs national-scale impact with community-scale action—because lasting coastal protection happens when policy and people move together.
Last year brought real challenges, including fires and a shifting policy landscape. Even so, our chapter showed what’s possible when community leads. We made progress worth celebrating, and we’re grateful to everyone who volunteered, donated, hosted events, spoke up, and brought a friend along.
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This year we're committed to continuing to build strong local programs, growing our volunteer community, and staying aligned with Surfrider’s broader movement. The issues affecting one coastal community rarely stay contained—and neither should our response.
We also know that real progress is made in many ways at once: the behind-the-scenes volunteer who keeps a program running, the new supporter who comes to their first event, the advocate who shows up to a public meeting, and the partner organization doing complementary work. Surfrider’s mission is big enough for all of it—and strong because we build action through our myriad skills and expeperiences.
If you’re wondering where to start, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our chapter offers multiple ways to get involved—from hands-on coastal stewardship to community education and advocacy. Whether you can give an hour a month or show up every week, there’s a place for you.
If you’ve been thinking about volunteering, consider this your invitation. Come to a Beach Clean Up, follow our newsletter, bring your curiosity and connect with others behind the work. Together, we’ll act locally to protect what we love and drive Surfrider’s mission everywhere.