Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Perez, Mina Bedogne.
Hi Samantha Perez, Mina Bedogne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Mina:
Growing up in coastal Los Angeles, I frequented local parks, beaches, and museums (Douglas Park, Dockweiler, and La Brea Tar Pits, to name a few), developing a deep connection to local pockets of nature and seeking further opportunities to educate myself about the environment. I first formalized my passion for land stewardship as an intern at Friends of Ballona Wetlands before pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science and Management at UC Davis. After four years of research, policy, and field experience in natural resource management, I moved back to Los Angeles to complete a service term with CivicSpark, an AmeriCorps fellowship focusing on promoting environmental sustainability through local government action. Inspired to complete another year of public service, I then returned to the Friends as a California Climate Action Fellow, fueling my interest in ecological restoration to bolster native habitat and support wildfire resiliency.
Samantha: I developed a love of nature while adventuring around the different green spaces of Los Angeles with my family. Why we had to drive across town to play under the Coast live oak tree’s canopy became a realization that not everyone had the same access to nature. The understanding that my parents had worked hard to give my sisters and I those childhood experiences because of the lack of open green spaces in our neighborhood formed the foundation for what I would later learn was green space inequalities. For everyone to have access to green spaces that they can safely explore and learn how to better care for the land we call home is what inspired me to pursue an environmental career.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Mina: My time as a Fellow has challenged me to become comfortable with outreach and engagement in dynamic field settings. It took me quite some time to get used to presenting to and safely guiding young field trip students through our Ecological Reserve without getting too apprehensive about my ability to maintain their attention while providing a fun and meaningful learning experience. I also felt similarly about conveying information and instructions to our adult volunteers, especially before I had a grasp of our native and non-native plant life. However, by leaning into the discomfort and taking the initiative to develop my interpersonal skills and address my uncertainties, I believe I have expanded my confidence as a leader and am much more capable of adapting my approach during ever-evolving public events.
Samantha: I grew up surrounded by plants through my family’s gardening business and learned about the changing climate and environmental issues (man-induced wildfires and habitat loss) through the news and wondering how I could help. Even though my passion for stewarding the environment was growing I’d never heard of environmental work as a career and seeing so few people with my background in the science field created an invisible barrier. It was through lots of searching in undergraduate and interning with Friends of Ballona Wetlands giving me a glimpse of a job habitat restoration could be like and meeting other Latina environmentalists that eventually led me to become a climate action fellow with Friends.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Mina and Samantha are both California Climate Action Corps fellows at the Friends of Ballona Wetlands. Through this fellowship they are working in the field monitoring plant species, propogating and growing plants, restoring wetland habitat, leading public volunteer events, and educating the next generation of environmental stewards.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Mina: In my experience, taking risks has fueled personal and professional growth. I recently completed basic prescribed burn training with the newly formed Los Angeles Prescribed Burn Association, which involved taking a week off of work, completing a pack test, and attending a mock burn in the Antelope Valley. I was incredibly nervous before the first day and had a bout of impostor syndrome since I only had an introductory academic background in wildfire resilience. However, I ended up learning more than I could have imagined and met so many amazing people who hope to reintroduce good fire to the land, leaving me with a newfound sense of purpose and a fantastic network.
Samantha: Growing up as a 1st generation Latina I think other 1st gen kids can relate to the feeling of not just succeeding for oneself, but for the family. When I left my job in admissions to begin the fellowship I was excited to sharpen technical skills such as plant identification and the decisions that went into restoring a habitat. I was also nervous because I knew my parents felt I was taking a risk starting a new unfamiliar career when their greatest hope was my happiness and stability. I felt the pressure of proving that my job wasn’t just fulfilling, but would support me financially and I’m happy to report that it has done both by helping me connect with a variety of organizations and providing me with mentors that have helped me navigate the hurdles of entering a new field.
Pricing:
- Every event we lead is free to the public, you just have to register online before the event!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ballonafriends.org
- Instagram: ballonafriends
- Facebook: Friends of Ballona Wetlands
Image Credits
Image credits are to the Friends of Ballona Wetlands. Thank you!
