As the hopeful optimist that I am, I’ve always held a glass half-full outlook on life. So it was only natural that when I came into my base site, the Inyo National Forest Supervisor’s Office, on my fifth week of work still lacking the technology required to conduct my job, I barely batted an eyelash. Rather than tallying up all the potential setbacks that could come from this delivery delay, I instead reflected on all of the amazing experiences I had had the privilege of participating in in person between field work and networking with community members around the region and beyond. In the age of modern technology, it may seem like an unpopular opinion to believe that less technology arguably facilitates greater, deeper connections. However, I’m living testimony that when one is able to mingle face to face with colleagues and the communities they serve and partner with, there is an increased capacity to form meaningful, enduring bonds. 

For instance, not having to spend hours setting up and gaining clearance to a government device during my first couple of weeks of work gave me the flexibility in my schedule to partake in a trail clean up volunteer event with one of the Inyo NF partner organizations, Friends of the Inyo, within just a few short days on the job. I’ve also since been able to accompany another Inyo NF partner organization, Golden Trout Wilderness, to the Sequoia National Forest to hear from tribal members and leaders on nature-based solutions for keeping the turbidity of streams low through the use of strategically located and crafted dams in a lush meadow as pictured on the right below. 

On top of this, I’ve also been able to leisurely meet in person with other FS employees, offices, and visitor centers in neighboring ranger districts like Mono Lake, Mammoth, White Mountain, and Mt. Whitney. Moreover, thanks to the professional, physical, and social resources and connections made available to me through Hispanic Access Foundation and the National Forest Service, I have within the span of the past month alone also been able to travel to Colorado, San Diego, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Minnesota all for the first time! 

Earlier this summer, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Resource Assistant Program cohort-wide orientation in Copper Mountain, Colorado where I was able to, in addition to making a handful of genuine connections, build my first ever snowman! A few weeks later, during July 15th-July 23th I was selected to partake in a couple of HAF associated and sponsored events in support of Latino -Conservation Week. The first of two events I got to attend was an educational conservation fair in San Diego where I got to network with various local marine and wildlife conservation organizations while playing some games like the nature themed version of Loteria. Then, through a generous grant with Patagonia, the following weekend I was also able to attend the LCW Celebratory Festival in Minnesota free of charge where I got to share information on the array of benefits afforded through HAF with the over 500 festival attendees. All things said, it’s okay to take a break from our fancy devices every now and then and allow ourselves to uninterruptedly reconnect with nature and those around us. In fact, upon doing so you may even realize firsthand that you too are partial to receiving a raw, live reaction during a conversation rather than an emoji.

photo captions:

-Me manning the HAF booth at the Latino Conservation Week Celebratory Festival at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge this past July.

-Pictured is the beautiful ecosystem I was able to help restore my first week on the job through a volunteer trash clean up event.

-The manmade damn I was able to visit in the Sequoia NF referenced up above.

-Pictured are the complementary tacos and tote bags I received while attending the Latino Conservation Week Celebratory event in San Diego this past July.

-A selfie taken of myself and two other LCW Minnesota correspondants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department, Alondra and Gabe.

About the author/By: Victoria Lodico is a Houston native and recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. During her time in undergrad, she earned a B.A. in International Relations & Global Studies, a B.S. in Political Communications, and a minor in business while simultaneously holding a handful of internship and student researcher positions. Most recently, she has served as a sustainability consultant for Activision Blizzard, an environmental policy researcher for the DC based think-tank Public Citizen, a policy and advocacy intern for the progressive nonprofit United Way of Texas, a climate change and sustainability student researcher in Denmark through the DIS program, and as a cultural researcher for Women’s Relief Initiative, a R & D project undertaken by UT students to engineer biodegradable feminine hygiene products.