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Category: Representation Matters

From Seafood Markets To Science

por Melissa Belen-González

My path to where I am now, seemed unreachable from the start. Although I always had an interest in marine biology growing up, my parents continued to discourage this interest as marine biology-based careers don’t make very much money. I attended community college and transferred to my local university due to financial reasons, but continued to pursue marine biology. There was nobody in our entire family who ever pursued a career in any science or research, and my parents lacked the knowledge of higher education to support my interests. I think the first time they realized there was some hope began when I was able to participate in paid internships through the National Science Foundation. I left home for the first time to gain hands-on experience in marine biology on the East Coast. Through this experience, I learned I didn’t want to be in a lab every day, but that I wanted to be outside doing science.

I soon became molded by marine ecology where I was able to connect with the outdoors. Through my undergraduate lab and a change in research interests, I was crawling through the mud of salt marshes. Salt marshes were a type of ecosystem I grew up seeing from the freeway that framed the sun as it set over the ocean, I never knew there was science to be done in them. The remainder of my undergraduate research focused on how predators and prey species interact within the salt marsh. Just like the crabs I used to play with at the seafood markets or help my family boil, the predator I studied was also an aggressive crab. This specific crab, Callinectes bellicosus, although not valued by locals, is an important commercial fishery species in Mexico. It was refreshing to study an animal connected to my culture and one that fellow Mexicans would laugh about when sharing how they had been pinched by the same crab. The site I used to collect or sample crabs had a popular bike trail, which made collecting problematic at times. White American bicyclists would stop and stare, some gave me dirty looks, and other times I’d get anxious that they would call the police on me after prolonged quiet stares. Despite potential setbacks, being in the field makes me happy.

As part of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanx/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), I was able to bring what I had learned back into my community. With fellow Latine young scientists, we organized outreach events at our local low-income K-12 schools. We also hosted workshops for our university’s Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán and Association of Chicana Activists annual conferences.

“Field work has helped me cope with these difficult times. Being out alone in the middle of an empty forest or salt marsh is where I have been able to reflect.”

Melissa Belen-GonzÁlez

After I graduated from San Diego State University, I moved out to Savannah, Georgia for a year-long fellowship. With the majority of salt marshes removed in California, it can make work difficult to find. Despite the small size of Georgia’s coast, about one-third of all salt marshes on the East Coast are IN Georgia! I teach coastal ecology related classes or labs virtually, indoors, and outdoors. I also had a project that involved making my own traps from re-used materials and walking out in the middle of an empty forest to put the traps in a wetland. However, leaving home was also a difficult decision because in the field of marine ecology I’m often one of the few, if not the only, BIPOC. The lack of overall representation means that even when given the opportunity, BIPOC still struggle. Being on the opposite side of the coast, I also worry about my Abuelita’s Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

Field work has helped me cope with these difficult times. Being out alone in the middle of an empty forest or salt marsh is where I have been able to reflect. The beauty of the outdoors is relaxing and something I hope more of our community can have the opportunity to enjoy. Through Latino Outdoors, SACNAS, Latinx in Marine Science, Minorities in Shark Science, and other organizations I hope the future generation is starting to see themselves represented.

I’m the product of Filipino-Mexican first-generation parents. I was born and raised on Kumeyaay Land, specifically San Ysidro and Valencia Park. I faced a childhood of colorism and wasn’t allowed to play outside or enjoy the outdoors. My first introduction to the ocean came from my Abuelita and Lola (Filipino grandma), both who brought me shopping in seafood markets. Ultimately it was the comida of our cultura that gave me the passion to pursue marine ecology and connect with the outdoors.

From Caracas to Corvallis

por Eduardo González-Dorta

I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. I grew up exploring the Venezuelan plains, beaches, and tropical forests. Eleven years ago I moved to Colorado by the Rocky Mountains National Park, Sand Dunes NP, and much more, all of which reinforced my love of the outdoors and wildlife. I graduated from the University of Colorado – Denver with double majors, Sociology and Criminal Justice. During college, I worked in the offices of Boulder County and Denver County District Attorneys, as the only bilingual assistant. During the last three years, I worked as a Bilingual Educator Performer at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, engaging diverse audiences, and communicating communities’ needs and values while developing and implementing culturally appropriate programming. I am currently working at The Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, in Corvallis, Oregon. Here as the US Fish and Wildlife Latino Engagement Program Coordinator l am engaging the community and familia to what this wonderful place has to offer.

Starting a community outreach program in the middle of a pandemic, with rain, and cold weather, one could say, is less than ideal. However, how we say back home pa’ lante es pa’lla. Since the end of October 2020, I have made my home in William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. There are plenty of wetlands and a myriad of birds and mammals to spend the whole day watching and learning from. The contrast with Colorado is remarkable, no brown only a wonderful palette of greens, yellows, and grays. My job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife is Latino Engagement, Program Coordinator. So, my first goal was to make sure all the literature was bilingual and accessible to all communities, secondly, was to provide bilingual programs and activities to all surrounding communities, welcoming them into the refuges and encouraging their interest in the wildlife.

In order to communicate in times of COVID, I contacted every single agency providing fun and rich programming and resources that would serve the Latino children and their families. We worked on making all materials bilingual and culturally relevant. I had to create, adapt, and implement activities for all ages so families will feel welcome.

In the refuge, there is not such a thing as a “rain check”. We work and offer our programs rain or shine because that is the beauty of this place, fauna and flora are always available to give a show to the keen or the beginners eye. Many days at our pop-up activities tent, it is me and my friends the egret, a gang of elk, or a shy bobcat. However, my bookings have been getting filled up with families coming to the refuge to participate in guided activities and science. Familias are also coming. They like sharing that time outdoors with kids and the great wildlife at the refuge. They only need a good chamarra and patience to enjoy.

Un Mar De Colores “One Ocean Touches All Shores”

por Mario Ordóñez-Calderón

The ocean is one of the biggest connectors we as humans have on this planet. An experience in the sea in any capacity can have an enormous impact- it has the power to embrace and humble, calm and empower. My love and understanding for the ocean came later in life. It was through the art of surfing that my perspective shifted, and I no longer viewed the ocean shore as the great divider but instead as the beginning of exploration and connection.

Learning to surf was every bit as challenging as it was exciting. Navigating crowds, learning how to read the waves, and understanding tides were all part of that process. Not to mention, fifteen stitches from a wipeout gone wrong can mentally and physically leave its mark. I kept paddling out despite the growing pains, becoming addicted to all the sensations that came with surfing. I loved the way my first duck dive into the cold water left me feeling cleansed of all stresses, the deep tranquility I found while sitting out in the line up and the flow state while cruising down the open face of a wave. Learning to surf helped me learn more about myself. I gained not only self-clarity, but also a community of fellow surfers who shared my passions in and out of the water.

“I recognized that I was lucky enough to have a friend already immersed in surf culture to help me feel comfortable out in the water. It was this reflection that prompted me to question how I could return that favor for other multicultural youth with a similar upbringing as mine”.

Mario Ordóñez-Calderón

I remember the moment when the idea of sharing my passion for surfing with others sparked. Two years ago, while loading up the car to surf I’d see my Guatemalan neighbor’s kids playing out front or getting ready for school. As I drove away to the beach –less than a mile down the street– I looked back through the rear view mirror and saw kids that reminded me of myself in my youth. I began to wonder why it was that I never saw that family heading to the beach.

This subtle observation sparked within me a series of questions to try and understand why I didn’t see more Latinos out in the water, even though the Latino population in San Diegos were so large. As I reflected on my own experience, I recognized that I was lucky enough to have a friend already immersed in surf culture to help me feel comfortable out in the water. It was this reflection that prompted me to question how I could return that favor for other multicultural youth with a similar upbringing as mine.

From that blossomed Un Mar De Colores. We are a nonprofit organization that bridges the socioeconomic gap in surfing by providing free surf lessons to children of color and underserved youth. The mission is simple: share the ocean, diversify the lineup, and inspire youth. We create a space that offers a safe, relevant, and inclusive presence within communities and neighborhoods that have historically not received equitable opportunities to experience the ocean and use their voice.

We want to drive home the message that the ocean does not discriminate, it welcomes all and provides a ‘sense of place’ no matter an individual’s circumstance or color. We hosted our first Surf Fiestas in the Summer of 2020 and have been working closely with a young group of local North County kids since. We choose to go deep with a select group of 10-15 kids under the age of 12 offering them one-on-one mentorship with primarily BIPOC surfers. A key element of Un Mar De Colores is the constant effort to inspire passion and purpose through play, encouraging participants to find direction in the world through the things that bring them joy. We truly believe something as simple as catching a wave has the opportunity to teach a child their greatest life lessons.

UMDC’s second (and just as important) mission is providing visibility into an already existing rich culture of people of color within the surfing community. Our media initiative called #RepresentationMatters highlights surfers/watermen/waterwomen of multicultural backgrounds in order to show the beauty of diversity in the ocean community. We strongly believe that representation in media has a powerful impact, and is a key component in the success of multicultural youth involvement and dedication to understand the ocean as their space, too. #RepresentationMatters has truly given us the ability to inspire through art. Most recently, we collaborated with Patagonia Cardiff and Santa Barbara based artist DJ Javier to create a mural called “The Beach is For All” on the side of their storefront. Un Mar De Colores is just as proud about our art scholarships in which we grant funding to several BIPOC artists throughout the year in order for them to create ocean/surf inspired art. Whether it be a painting, a surf film, or an illustration- we see the importance of promoting the connection between art, surf, and diversity.

Un Mar De Colores has been taking shape strongly over the past half a year, and it’s all thanks to the ongoing community support. It takes a village to change culture and cultivate a more inclusive surfing community for posterity, and as a non-profit we’ve gotten as far as we have because of the continuous support from our volunteers, friends/familia, and donors. At the end of the day, I’m filled with gratitude with the ability to have a positive ripple effect in the lives of others. The ocean gave me a sense of belonging. Living a life so interconnected with it has opened doors for me in just about every aspect of my life. Passing that along to others is a cherry on top. I’m looking forward to continuing to share this passion as we start to move things along for our 2021 program.

In addition to being a surfer and co-founder of Un Mar de Colores, Mario is a mountaineer, bikepacker, and much more. Get to know him through Cycle of Ancestry, a short film about Mario’s cultural heritage and love for the outdoors.