From Migrant Workers to Picking Berries: The New American Dream

As I come to the close of our 3rd Annual NPS Academy and commence the 4th Annual Pura Vida program I can't help but think back to the beginning.   Not only to the beginning of when I developed these programs and began my work as a Youth and Diversity Outreach Coordinator, but to the beginning of my ancestral line.  

Now I should say that as Latinos, my family isn't really into written documentation so I can only tell you the stories that have been passed down to me from my parents and grandparents.  I come from a line of migrant workers on both sides of my family.  My Paternal grandfather migrated into Texas at the young naive age of 14.  As he struggled to get on his feet and pull himself up by his own bootstraps he worked the only job that he knew to do- a ranch hand.  With little to no English skills and a 6th grade education, he knew he wanted to fulfill the American Dream.  He came to this country to do just that, no matter the travesties and tribulations he had to endure, he wanted to give his family a better life.   At the age of 22, he married my grandmother a 1st or 2nd generation Texan.  She's the type of family you hear about that claims "we didn't cross the border, the border crossed us!"   As far as she can remember they've always lived in the same town and who really knows for how long.  My grandmother, a 4th grade educated woman, also grew up knowing the value of hard work.  To this day, she still practices her reading and writing by reading magazines.  There isn't a page that goes by that you don't see her name written in cursive letters. 

When my father was young he and my aunt would be pulled out of school early every year to work the "piscas" or the fields.  They traveled the country by car to pick cherries and apples in Washington and potatoes and cotton in Wisconsin.  It was a tough life to make ends meet.  

My maternal grandparents migrated from Mexico City into the States.  My grandfather worked the fields and eventually mastered the English language, so well in fact that you'd never know he was a foreigner.  A man with conviction to better his family and fight for the people he organized strikes against the pecan company where he worked as a union pecan Sheller.   He organized along side Emma Tenayuca, a Mexican-American Activist to earn better wages and working conditions for the workers.   

My parents believed in also giving us, their kids, more than they had. Growing up, we watched my parents struggle to make ends meet.  Sometimes they had to decide between putting food on the table or paying bills.   They strongly believed in making sure we got a strong education and doing whatever we wanted to do as long as you worked hard and were passionate about it. 

My story is like that of many others like me. We have come a long way. To think of the hard work and dedication that my ancestors working the ranches, fields and in unbearable working conditions had to endure to open up doors for us, their future, their children.  

Today, I work for the same reasons.  I work to introduce youth to their national parks, made possible by those that came before us. I work to open doors for those that come after me, so that they too have the same and even better opportunities that I was given.  It is for all of them and all of those that worked their fingers to the bone that I'm able to pick berries for fun and live my American Dream. 

Fort Washakie kids

This week, I was invited by Teton Science Schools to interact with students from Ft. Washakie Charter School. Ft. Washakie is located on the Wind River Indian Reservation.  Tribes include Northern Arapahoe and Eastern Shoshone.  I went out to the Kelly campus on Wednesday to prepare fry bread dough for dinner the next night.  Having lived on the Navajo Reservation for a number of months during the summer of 2007 while working at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site I was excited to share "my" Navajo and Mexican-American culture with them, as well as learn about their culture.   During my time on the rez I was taken in by Navajo friends and became part of their family.  I was taught a little of the language, I was invited to ceremonies and taught how to cook the native way, especially fry bread.  I was adopted by the Navajo and told that I was now Navajo and Mexican.   Preparing fry bread dough with the students, I was able to learn how their families make the dough and about their culture.  I learned that the students were a mixture of N. Arapahoe, E. Shoshone, Cheyenne, Navajo and Mexican. 

On Thursday evening, I went back to campus to help the students flatten out the dough before having the cook fry it.  They taught me how to master flattening the dough without the use of a rolling pin, the native way. After finishing up the dough, I was invited to hang out with them.  In total, there were 15 high school students.  I looked on as they played cards, hacky sack and listened to music.  Slowly students began coming in.  As they came in they saw my unfamiliar face so they approached and asked who I was. 

One girl in particular, Alicia Sanchez - half Mexican and half Arapahoe grew up on the rez.  She was stuck between two cultures.  I had been warned about Alicia's fiestiness the day before by the students that I made fry bread with, so was ready to meet her.  Alicia came up with an attitude and pretty significant Spanish accent, "Who are you?" she stated.  I said, "I'm Vanessa, I'm a Park Ranger with Grand Teton."  Alicia sat next to me not saying a word.  Then out of nowhere she said, "Are you Mexican, or what!?"  With a smirk across my face I shook my head, yes, to answer her question.  "What are you I said?"  That's when I found out about Alicia being part Mexican and Arapahoe.    I interacted with all the other students, learning about their culture, their stories and how they have grown up but Alicia and I had a strong connection. 

Alicia, angry about the cards life had handed her, told mer about her family.  She recently lost her brother in a motorcycle accident.  "In my family," she said, "all the boys go to the pen (prison) and the girls have kids."  As I sat and listened to her, I began to think about the other students in the room.  Has their life been similar to Alicia's?  I looked at Alicia in the eyes and said, "If that's the life that you have grown up in, what are you going to do to make yours different?"  She stared at me in silence and said, "No, I want to go to school."  I smiled and told her that I was proud of her committment to change her path.  Despite her rough life, she has pushed through and is ready to take on the world and make a difference. 

After eating Indian tacos for dinner, we gathered into the main lodge to listen students present their research projects on water quality.  After presentations and a slideshow of pictures from their week, we all stood in a circle toe to toe to offer each other thanks.   Students slowly thanked their instructors and teachers for giving them this opportunity.  They thanked each other for supporting each other throughout the week.  Lastly, a few students thanked me for "supporting our culture", "for listening to our stories" and "for coming out and making fry bread."   As we broke up the circle, students came and gave me a hug, thanking me for what I do.  Alicia pulled me aside, gave me a hug and said, "Thank you for listening to me.  I've never had a connection with another Mexican before." and then gave me another big hug and walked away.  

No one will ever understand the feeling of changing a life until you have done it.  There is a sense of accomplishment and gratification but words can't describe that feeling.  I absolutely love the work I do and the different students from all cutlural backgrounds that I have the opportunity to interact with.  This is the beginning of my relationship with the Wind River Rez, as I have been invited to visit the school to talk about career opportunities for students with the NPS. 

Keep on, keepin' on!

All for the people...

As I am in the midst of my first week without the NPS Academy students, I am able to reminsce on the the spring and summer that has quickly flown by.   I have learned so much from ALL of the Academy interns, much more than they will probably ever know.  Their enthusiasm and respect for everything that they do makes me realize that the countless hours were invested into the creation and oversight of this program will be paid forward.  The legacy that these students have already left behind will forever impact the parks that they have worked at and I look forward to the legacy that they will continue to put forth in their community and schools.  

One thing that I have continuously told students is that although great opportunities come to us with them they lies a great responsibility.  As minorities, everything we do will either break or build those connections for others in our shoes.  Just as everyone else, we stand on the shoulders of those that came before us.  This week, I was fortunate enough to listen to Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar speak at our park.  In admist of all the running around that he did from an employee talk, press conference and spoke with the park partners I was able to snag a picture and introduce myself.  Ken Salazar, a 5th generation Latino Coloradoan is one of those shoulders that I stand on.  An accomplished man, I expected nothing more than a handshake but he took the time to ask me about my job and where I was from.  As I told him where I was from and the youth engagement and outreach work that I do for the park a smile crossed his face and he gave me a big hug and thanked me for all the work I do for our youth.  I was humbled by such gratitude from a man in his position.  I was proud to do the work that I do for all the youth locally and across the country. 

Another two people that I stand alongside with in all this work are both doing work in California.  These two gentlemen I met at a training on youth engagement and was truly impressed and inspired by them.  Juan Martinez, rock star Latino conservationist and Ernesto Pepito, an all-time inspiration are both people that join me in doing youth engagement and diversity outreach work.   When I think about all the people that conduct this type of work and inspire young students across the country I know our future is in good hands.  I look forward to working and seeing Juan and Ernesto in the coming months as they travel to Grand Teton National Park to spread the wealth of their talents and inspiration with our community and students of my upcoming program. 

Thanks to all those that work on youth engagement and continue to leave a legacy and be shoulders that others will stand on in the future.

                Changing Lives, One Youth at a Time  - Vanessa Torres, Julie Fonseca de Borges, Ernesto Pepito and Julie Chavez Rodriguez          

Pura Vida en Grand Teton National Park

Translated, pura vida means the good life.  That's exactly what we intended students' experience to be during this program.  We wanted to expose them to the good life of nature, outdoor recreation in the park and potential careers that they can have when they grow-up.  We just completed our second year of Pura Vida programs in the park, a program that I created and facilitate in collaboration with Teton Science Schools.  As with any program, the second year is better than the first because you're able to work out any kinks and continue to strengthen the program.  The students of course have fun and don't realize the clockwork behind the scenes. All they know is that these programs are cool, they meet cool people and now many want to be park rangers and bring their family back to enjoy the same things they did.  We try to teach skills that they can carry with them when they come back and skills that they are able to transfer over to their peers and family members. 

Both middle school and high school students were great but this year the middle school group of kids stood out to me.  They were so energetic, attentive and interested in working for national parks in the future. As I sat around the campfire with those students one night they asked me to share my story with them, as many of the NPS Academy students and other park employees had.  I first defined the term Latino, Hispanic and Chicano with them because earlier that day one of the kids had called me a Chicano when I told them I was a Texan, born and raised there.  After a brief discussion and understanding of those terms, with the flames of the campfire in their eyes,  I then told them where I was from, how I grew up and how I got to where I am at today.  One question I often get from students is, "what inspires you?"  Usually it takes me a while to think about the answer but lately, my words come to me more quickly in that I respond, "My parents for working to give us a better life, just as yours' do.  My mentors and most importantly the students that I get to work with in programs like this."   As I finished up with this statement I looked into their eyes.  As they starred at me, one little girl, 12 or 13 years old looked at me and said, "Vanessa, we are proud of you." With a knot in my throat, I fought back tears because this is the reason I do what I do, to hopefully inspire one person.  That to me, makes the world of difference. This little girl came back the following weekend with her family and three other families with them to camp and enjoy the park just as she had done during Pura Vida.  

Keep on, keeping on,

Vanessa

P.S. - Here is a video of their adventures from the week:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=570507952067

Inspirations from Across the Country

This past week, after spending time with middle and high school students for the past two week during our Pura Vida program, I had the opportunity to spend time with students from diverse ethnic backgrounds from across the country.  I was invited by the Teton Science Schools to speak on a panel for a group of Girl Scouts that were part of a residential program titled “Women Leaders in the Jackson Hole Valley”.  I’ve always been weary of Girl Scouts, barring the time that they sell those amazing Thin Mints everywhere around the country, except for Jackson!  To familiarize ourselves as a group we started out eating dinner together, playing a few rounds of Mafia (which I did not approve of) and I then had the opportunity to introduce the girls to PDQ, my all-time favorite game!  

The time came to sit on the panel and share my sage wisdom to these young girls that ranged from ages 13-15.  After quick introduction by the panel, I decided to conduct an activity that required all of us to go outside.   This activity was discussed quickly in the office by one of my colleagues before heading out to the Kelly Campus.  On my 20 minute drive over I pondered on this brilliant idea, how I would present it and whether it would be a success or huge bust!  As I had the girls stand in a line in front of me, still nervous as to whether I could pull this off; I asked the girls if any of them had ever seen the movie Titanic.  With giggles and whispers of 13 -15 year old girls saying, “OMG! Leo is sooo cute” they all raised their hands.  I proceeded to ask the girls if they remembered the scene in the movie where Jack teaches Rose how to spit.  Glances of pondering faces starred at me as they shook their head confirming my question.  At this point, I was pretty sure I was gonna miss my punch line, but as I asked what they thought that particular scene meant, one girl gave me the answer I was looking for. “It was to have her try new things,” she answered.   With excitement I stated, “Yes, that’s right!”  I then told the girls that the activity I was going to conduct was to prove something and then I asked them to spit!  Yup, that’s right, S-P-I-T!   I told them, “I asked you to do this, not simply because I want to teach you how to spit but to teach you to never be afraid of trying new things, experiencing life and any opportunity that comes your way.  Always have an open mind to new ideas and experiences because these experiences are what are going to help you find your passion for what you want to do.”    

As we finished spiting we all returned inside to talk in small groups about our work, what we do and how we got to where we are at.  These girls were amazing and didn’t even give me a break to take a sip of water.    After that experience, my perception of Girl Scouts changed and I have a new found respect for them and their Girl Scout cookies!

The following day I was invited to dinner again at the Teton Science School to do more of an informal mingling with a group that I had spoken to a few weeks ago about careers in the NPS.  The first time I spoke with this diverse group of HS students, 2 out of the 15 had ever thought about being a park ranger.   As I hung out with them while they completed their portfolios, they interrogated me about my professional and personal life asking me questions such as where I grew up, my ethnicity, how I became a park ranger and whether I liked my job.  The most important question that stuck out to me was when they all asked me individually how they can get involved with national parks and become park rangers.  I jumped on the computer and pulled up the NPS website with the map of the country.  They called out where they were from and we looked at parks that surrounded their community.  I was able to connect many of them directly to programs across the country such as the Crissy Field Center in San Fran.   These students were truly inspiring and I’m proud and excited to have met them and hopefully influenced them to become part of our national park system. 

In closing, with both groups, I quoted my hero and inspiration Cesar Chavez – “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”  Que viva nuestro futuro!  We are in good hand!