Sierra Club’s Nearby Nature initiative connects people to nature close to home by engaging youth and communities to explore, enjoy, and protect public parks, waters, trails, gardens and other green spaces in and around urban areas. The initiative is empowering young people to explore the role school and community gardens play in improving access to healthy foods and nearby greenspace, supporting environmental education, strengthening communities, and protecting our environment. Follow our multi-part blog series as we explore gardens.
Introducing Sierra Club’s Los Angeles Garden Intern Diana Esquivel, an interview
During the fall academic semester, Sierra Club’s Nearby Nature initiative will work with interns in Baltimore and Los Angeles to learn about and support community and school gardens. We’ll be introducing our Garden Interns over the next few weeks and after that, you’ll get to hear directly from them as they begin to do their own blogging, sharing highlights of their experiences getting their hands dirty, meeting new people, learning about the connections between food and the environment, and identifying some of the challenges and opportunities facing communities in Baltimore and Los Angeles. Hopefully, they’ll also get to try some delicious local veggies. Read on as we introduce Diana Esquivel, the second of three Sierra Club Los Angeles Garden Interns, through a short interview. Welcome, Diana!
Q: Diana, we are so excited to be working with you this semester to explore community and school garden projects in Los Angeles. Tell our readers what inspired you to apply for the Sierra Club Los Angeles Garden Project Internship?
A: During this year, I have had many challenges. The passing away of a family member, and the occupation of being a full time student while graduating from the San Gabriel Mountains Forever Leadership Academy and interning for Central Avenue Villa during my spring semester were experiences of my life that I hadn’t thought I would go through at the age of 19-20. However, I did. I was able to balance my mental health by going to accessible green spaces. In doing so, I got to learn about myself and the important people and places around me. I found that nature keeps me grounded, and that having a community (family) gives me strength and initiative to grow more.
I was inspired to apply for the Sierra Club Los Angeles Garden Project Internship because I see this as an opportunity to grow as a leader while doing something that provides a balance to my life (which is being in nature and nurturing youth community leaders). Even if this internship is temporary, my gut tells me that I will grow more and enjoy this experience.
Q: Have you ever worked in a garden before?
A: Yes
Q: Tell us what that was like for you. What did you draw from your experience? What do you hope others will gain from working in the gardens?
A: I have volunteered at a garden located in Watts, and at Jefferson High School. I enjoyed every single part of my volunteer work at Watts and Jefferson because I was able to make an empty space into something that can serve the whole community. I enjoyed pulling invasive weeds at Jefferson from the soil so that food could be planted as well as providing tours of the garden at Watts for guests from out of city and into a hidden community.
Through my work in the gardens, I hope that others can realize that a balance could be found when working with their community. I also hope that people can realize that the open spaces are meant to serve all. I wish that people can find a favorite place outdoors where they can disconnect and reconnect in a peaceful state of mind when undergoing difficult challenges.
Q: Tell us about your favorite place outdoors.
A: One of my favorite places outdoors that once served to bring me a peaceful state of mind is Lee Vining, near Mono Lake in California.
Read Part 2 and Part 1 of our Nearby Nature gardening series.