Where Silicon Valley Meets the Sea
Restoring life to the Alviso Ponds
Our purpose
At the southern edge of San Francisco Bay, hidden beside one of the most innovative regions in the world, lies Alviso: once the Port of San José, today a quiet neighborhood surrounded by salt ponds and wetlands. Our film explores this remarkable ecosystem, the wildlife that depends on it, and the threats it faces from rising seas, flooding, pollution and habitat loss. Told through a youthful lens and the voice of a young Alviso resident, it is a story of nature, community and the work underway to restore Alviso for generations to come.
Made by a youth-led crew with CompassPoint Mentorship.
Meet the Team
William Tang
Director and screenwriter
A high school senior in San Jose, William wrote and directed the film. He and a youth-led crew went back to Alviso again and again, revising the film over several years in response to community feedback.
Ruge Ji
Cinematographer
Ani
Narrator · Alviso resident
A young Alviso resident and the voice of the film. Ani shows Alviso not as a problem to solve, but as a home with a future worth protecting.
About the Film
Where Silicon Valley Meets the Sea follows Alviso from its past as a port town to the restoration work shaping its future. Aerial footage of the salt ponds, wetlands and wildlife is paired with interviews and narration, so the scale of what could be lost stays personal.
- A historic port. Before the tech boom, boats arrived in Alviso carrying settlers hoping to start a new life.
- A sinking town. Pumping groundwater made the land sink below sea level, and a massive storm in 1983 flooded the town.
- A story of healing. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is turning old salt ponds back into tidal marsh for endangered species and a healthier bay.
“Living in Silicon Valley, I was surrounded by the belief that technology could build or repair almost anything. This film forced me to confront what cannot be recreated once it disappears. I am proud that our youth-led crew listened, returned, and allowed the community to reshape the story.”
Watch the Film
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBszNZwPx9I
Produced by CompassPoint Mentorship, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Sunnyvale, Alviso and the greater Bay Area.
