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Category: Representation Matters

How Accessible Is Accessible: The Great Outdoors

por Denise Vásquez

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved being outdoors, I’ve always felt a connection to nature, and I’ve always loved traveling. People always seem surprised when they find out that a nature lover like me grew up in New York City. I can assure you that whether I was living in the Bronx, on Roosevelt Island, or in Manhattan…I always had access to gardens, rivers, parks, and more. As a child, during the summer months, my mother would send me from New York City to Puerto Rico for visits with my grandparents. I remember being in awe of the mountains that looked like giant waves frozen in time. I remember being in awe of the color of the ocean that reminded me of turquoise jewelry. I remember being in awe of the wildlife roaming free in the great outdoors. I remember how happy I saw big skies filled with colorful clouds. I remember how I cried tears of joy the first time I saw stars in the sky outside of a planetarium. That feeling of being in awe of nature’s power still resonates with me today! There is something uplifting, healing, and sacred about being outdoors. I’ve always felt a connection with nature’s energy, whether I’m in the ocean, surrounded by trees, near red rocks, or in the sand! Being outdoors, connecting with nature has always made me happy!

My dream job has always been being a traveling photographer, writer, and artist. I left home at the age of seventeen and have been traveling since. Having lived in New York City, Scotland, London, The U.S. Virgin Islands, and California, and traveling to Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, France, Wales, and all over Great Britain…led me to not only discovering sunrises, sunsets, and night skies, it led me to discover myself. I learned many things, including the fact that I am at my happiest whenever I’m outdoors, experiencing new places, connecting with nature and people while photographing colorful moments, creating videos, and writing about my experiences.

“I remember being in awe of the mountains that looked like giant waves frozen in time. I remember being in awe of the color of the ocean that reminded me of turquoise jewelry. I remember being in awe of the wildlife roaming free in the great outdoors. I remember how happy I saw big skies filled with colorful clouds.”

For many years, I worked for different companies as a professional photographer, and I loved my photography jobs because the work I did involved me doing photography outdoors. That was until I got injured at my last job almost 3 years ago. I ended up getting lost in a corrupt system, ended up with achilles tendon injuries, CRPS, chronic pain, anxiety, sleeping disorder, and other issues…which left me being permanently disabled. I have experienced many obstacles in my life, but the last 3 years have been some of my biggest challenges. I went from crutches, wheelchairs (motorized & manual), rolling walker, cane, and walking sticks, to currently being back on my feet for short periods of time.

As I am a positive person, I do everything I can to stay focused on things that make me happy! Every day is a new day, but with each day comes a new challenge, not only with the chronic pain, CRPS, achilles tendon injuries, and my permanent disability but just trying to live in a world where equality does not exist, especially when it comes to accessibility! I refuse to allow the obstacles to stop me from following my passion, my purpose, or living my dream, so I find ways to get outdoors because nature is healing! Over the last three years, having access to nature and the outdoors helped in my recovery mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

“I refuse to allow the obstacles to stop me from following my passion, my purpose, or living my dream, so I find ways to get outdoors because nature is healing!”

While facing many challenges, I also noticed that many barriers placed before me are not only due to my personal limitations. For years, I’ve experienced a lack of accessibility to the outdoors, nature, trails, viewpoints, parks, the ocean, and more! I haven’t been able to photograph popular destinations in many State Parks (like Wave in The Valley Of Fire) and some National parks because at some of the parks; there are no ADA Compliant paved trails. While some parks may have one or two “accessible” trails, I’m discovering that many of these trails are not ADA Compliant! We need more ADA Compliant paved walkways, paved trails, and paved viewpoints! As a disabled photographer, I am frustrated with having to be satisfied with either pulling over on the side of the road, being in a parking lot, or in the middle of a road to take photographs! It is not enough, nor is it safe! ADA is the law, and accessibility is a right! If everything happens for a reason, and I went through my experiences to lead me to my purpose, so be it! I am truly happy something positive has come from it!

I created “The Disabled Photographer Project” to bring awareness of what it’s like being a professional traveling photographer, writer, and artist living with a disability. Having access to the outdoors is a fundamental right, and I know too well, having a lifetime of fighting for equal rights as a woman of Puerto Rican descent, how it feels to constantly have to deal with discrimination because of who I am. My purpose in writing blogs and making Youtube videos for my “How Accessible Is Accessible” series is to demonstrate what is really accessible and what isn’t, what changes need to be made by sharing how things are, in hopes of bringing awareness to what can be improved! We are all human beings, and we all have the right to have equal accessibility to nature and the outdoors, whether it’s to connect, to heal, to create, or to be happy. My mission with my work is to also inspire others to slow down long enough to see what we do have: a beautiful world that already exists, that is waiting to be explored, wanting to be appreciated & hoping to be protected. I hope my work can help bring awareness to our beautiful world that needs to be accessible to everyone.

Denise Vásquez is a Puerto Rican, Disabled Photographer, Writer, and Artist who has been published in National Geographic Yourshot, Canon Photo Plus magazine, IMPACT Books, and more! Her photography has been exhibited by the Southwest Environmental Center (Las Cruces, NM), Cleanwave Movement (cleanwave.org), San Diego Fair Exhibition Of Photography (San Diego, CA), Museum Of Ventura County Smith Pavillion (Ventura, CA), and more. Visit www.DeniseVasquezPhotography.com

Mapping Migraciones: Product of Migration

por Tototl Barajas

Like many, my parents emigrated to California during the 1960s as teenagers in search of a better life. Ironically they were both born in nearby towns in Ajijic and San Miguel el Alto, MX, but they didn’t meet until later in Santa Ana, California. There, they married, settled, and created their own nest and flock, like birds that migrate in search of new nesting sites and food for foraging to provide for their families.

I feel a deep connection to birds. I feed the Wildbirds, provide water sources, and watch them in amazement for hours on end. I engage with my local crows and corvids; they are incredibly smart. I always feel like they converse back and forth in dialogue. They remind me that their flocks have lived in and around the trees longer than I and that I am on their territory. I always look forward to the spring visits of the orioles, grackles, and mourning doves as they begin breeding in the trees. They are incredibly resilient and ingenious with their nesting skills. I see the growth of their fledglings, and it’s endearing. Some birds migrate, and some are natives. Just a constant reminder that we are in their world.

I am no longer a fledgling. I have migrated myself towards Riverside, and am creating my own nest.

What’s Your Migration Path?

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A Change in Perspective

por Esme Plascencia

I felt a turn in the tide when I changed my major to Outdoor Recreation. I did not learn about Outdoor Recreation as a field of study until my second year of college. A family friend asked me, “Hey Esme, have you thought about studying Parks and Rec?” I was quite appalled that I had no clue that the activities I loved to do most were part of something bigger or could be part of a field of study. When I started college, I declared Photography as my major as I enjoyed photographing people and places.

“Hey Esme, have you thought about studying Parks and Rec?”

I grew up in Fort Bragg, CA, a popular tourist town along the California coast, where I would spend hours at the beach photographing the landscapes and sunsets. During my high school years, I took portraits of friends for their senior portraits and started a Facebook page of my photography so that people could see my work and refer me to their friends. It was a “side hustle” that I started for myself and one of my first experiences in entrepreneurship. Soon after, friends from my hometown started asking me if I could photograph them for their Quinceañeras! It felt fulfilling to be present for other people during their ceremony. It is truly a blessing to be able to capture the precious moments of a special occasion.

When we go through life changes, we can almost intuitively sense that we are passing into a new chapter of our lives; I certainly felt that when I changed my major. After practicing photography as a job, I realized that I did not want to do that for a living. I did not like the aspect of sitting behind a computer for hours editing pictures. I just wanted to be outside every opportunity that I got! My favorite part of photography was being outside and just being in the moment. It will always be a part of me, and I will still practice my skills when I get the chance.

This past summer, I was able to practice my photography skills on Black Oystercatchers. I used my 75-300 mm telephoto lens to capture close images of the birds. My observation partner, Dave, guided me towards all the spots where the Black Oystercatchers would be nesting over the summer to lay their eggs, feed, and care for their young. There were about seven different pairs of Black Oystercatchers we would visit weekly. Tracking the weather, seasonal changes, and the state of the Black Oystercatchers’ nests as the chicks grew offered quite a unique experience.

It all began when I was invited by my family friend to volunteer with California State Parks for this Audubon Bird Survey.

It all began when I was invited by my family friend to volunteer with California State Parks for this Audubon Bird Survey. The orientation meeting was held at the California State Russian Gulch Recreation Center, where I learned that this was the ninth year that the Bird Survey was going strong. There were several people who were experienced and some for whom it was their first time, such as myself. As I sat and listened to the presentation about Black Oystercatchers, I learned about the different behavior patterns of the birds and how to navigate along the coast to spot the birds. As I looked around, I found I was not only one of the youngest people in the room but also the only person of color.

As I looked around, I found I was not only one of the youngest people in the room but also the only person of color.

This had not been the first time that this occurred to me. I was used to this in the field, though I do not always feel comfortable in these moments. Yet I know deep in my soul that it is in these moments that personal growth happens. When I step outside of my own perspective to learn from others and about myself, I begin to understand the barriers that hold me or others like me back from these types of experiences. It may be time, finances, or not having the resources to try something new. It is not always easy for people to commit themselves to something outside of their own knowledge or understanding. It takes courage, which is something I believe every person has. Some just need a little guidance to realize their potential.

As the young Black Oystercatchers go through different stages in their life and learn to survive and grow in the environment around them, so too do people.

As the young Black Oystercatchers go through different stages in their life and learn to survive and grow in the environment around them, so too do people. We all need someone to guide us, and it takes time and commitment. Although it is now winter, when I go outside on a walk to the coastal trails I sometimes hear and listen to the call of the Black Oyster. They remind me of the sunny days and the definition of resilience. If they can survive the cold and harsh tides, then so can we.

Esme Plascencia is a first generation immigrant and college student. She was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico and raised in Fort Bragg, California. Upon graduating Fort Bragg High School, she moved to Sacramento to start her journey in higher education at Sacramento State University. She is currently a senior student majoring in Recreational Parks and Tourism Administration and aspires to become an outdoor educator/guide.