My relationship with nature and the outdoors is exciting. I’m always learning more about nature and developing connections with the land and organisms. Growing up in Glendale, CA, I was lucky to have mountain ranges nearby. Yet, I didn’t start recreating outdoors until college, when a friend invited me on a hike in the Verdugo Mountains. From there, I hiked one to two times a week, gradually incorporating hiking into my lifestyle. Venturing out to different trails, I noticed that most hikers did not look like me, a young Filipina woman. This did not deter or bother me, but it did make me wonder why this was the case. I continued to hike, inviting my friends and family who were people of color, which led to leading nature and bird walks. I started to look into classes and programs that would deepen my relationship with nature and to continue sharing the benefits of the outdoors with my community. This led me to participate in Sierra Thrives in Fall 2023.
Sierra Thrives is a 5-week series that encourages creating relationships with one another and nature so we can all feel supported. I was particularly drawn to one of the program’s goals - Caring for each other’s emotional and social wellness in a group setting when facilitating outdoor experiences. My professional background involves leading K-12 school tours at a museum, so I was already aware that when creating open and positive learning spaces, the learner has to feel comfortable and safe to learn. Safety was a core principle in the Sierra Thrives workshops.
Being in community with people of color facilitators and my classmates in Sierra Thrives helped me feel more vulnerable to learn and feel safe in the presence of people with similar lived experiences. I learned that check-ins are a must in group activities; checking in on how everyone feels emotionally, mentally, and physically, and also checking in on yourself. Reflecting upon our first class, I remember feeling angsty during our short hike because of all the stops and check-ins we had with each other. I just wanted to continue on the hike! Now I realize how important all those stops were because I was not an individual experiencing the hike alone; I was in a group, and the well-being of everyone was a part of my own. Similarly, I realized I had to step back and be aware of my impatience, which could have easily affected the group’s experience.
Today, I am still working on getting folks outdoors and doing so by leading nature and bird walks at the Whittier Narrows Nature Center, where I have been volunteering for the last year. As a volunteer, I lead programs and walks while engaging with the community on anything nature-related: ecosystems, geology, native flora, birds, insects, and many more! We are currently hosting our yearly Docent Naturalist Training, and in July, I am facilitating a session on “How to Lead Nature Trail Walk.” I plan on applying what I learned through Sierra Thrives about emotional awareness, regulation, and relationship building to my presentation. I hope to continue creating a safe space at the Nature Center and share tools with fellow leaders to do the same.
Thank you to Sunny Cho, Jenny López, and Rene Melara for y’alls gentle and caring guidance! The emotional awareness I gained and the tools to regulate my emotions help me today in my outdoor adventures and relationships.