Hello all,

This is my first blog post ever, so heads up; I am going to make this first one more personal than the rest. I am a single mom of two (and two fur babies) trying to get a late start in life career within an agency that I have loved since I was a little girl. After 3 years working in 3 separate districts of the same forest that I grew up in, I know this is where I want to spend my working years. As a child I would spend entire summers camping with family and friends, only coming to town for food and worship on Sundays. As a young adult I spent years working in food service and retail, with little to no joy for my job. When my youngest child started preschool, I started on my degree in resource conservation. After three years of juggling a family and school I got my degree and applied to my first seasonal job with the Forest Service (FS). I was fortunate enough to land two seasonal jobs - one for the summer months (field) and one for the winter (office) months. Working in both the field and the office I have met some amazing individuals, learned so many new skills, and really been able to challenge myself mentally and physically. 

My family is traditional, men do the physical work outside the home while the women’s place is in the kitchen and homemaking. This never settled well with me; I was such a tomboy and hated cooking to boot. In the summertime I, a woman, now get to do all the things I wanted to do as a little girl. The FS has trained me to use chainsaws, cross-cut saws, and drive ATV’s and UTV’s. I have built beautiful fences, cleared trails of fallen trees, preformed heavy maintenance on our hiking and motorized trails, and got my Red Card for fire. The inclusivity of the agency is incredible, and the diversity only makes it stronger. The only downside of this is that it is almost impossible to get a permanent position, as the turnover rate is so low. Receiving this internship with the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) and My Access to Network Opportunities (MANO) has given me a step forward in my career that I would not have otherwise had.

HAF holds a mission statement that follows “HAF connects Latinos and others with partners and opportunities to improve lives and create an equitable society. One day, every Latino individual in America will enjoy good physical health and a healthy natural environment, a high-quality education, economic success and civic engagement in their community with the sum of improving the future of America.” I hold this mission with high regard and am excited to have a part in this program. As a mother of children with Hispanic legacy, I back this mission fully and want to help support that in any way possible. MANO has partnered with the FS to find and train individuals nation-wide and set them up with opportunities to find permanent employment. They cultivate an environment of trust and inclusion with the partners, while providing so many opportunities to make strides in a new career. I am so grateful these organizations have come together and have been able to provide the extensive training opportunities in professional development, skill building, and mentoring.

I look forward to going to work because everyday brings something new and different. I know this is where I want to be.

Agency: U.S Forest Service

Program: Resource Assistant Program (RAP)

Location: Lost Trail