““Barco que no anda, no llega a puerto
A ship that doesn’t sail, never reaches port””
Being a Latina, both Dominican and Puerto Rican, comes with nontraditional privileges. My parents struggled to reach where they are now, and even in my last conservation journal I expressed my struggle to reach where I am now, but I was also fortunate to enjoy a life not many individuals within my ethnicities can experience. I grew up traveling to both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in alternating summers. In both places I learned that I loved snorkeling, playing in the dirt, taking care of animals, and trying new things. I loved when my family and I went to hike El Yunque, spear crabs for dinner, or see the steam produced when the river of San Rafael meets the ocean. Having parents from the countryside meant I could see the hidden gems of the islands, and even my cultures, that perhaps not many others can.
The quote above is a saying in Puerto Rico, and there might be other cultures that have a similar saying, but from my interpretation of it, it means if you never attempt to do something, you will never be able to achieve it. “Trying” and “doing” are words both my cultures know very well because there is no such thing as giving up. The famous quote, “Si se puede” means “Yes I can,” and this quote derived from our pride, endurance, and persistence. Yet, as confident as I was taught to be, I was afraid of leaving my family, friends, and partner. I was afraid of relying on others, camping by myself, driving a ford truck, driving a boat on my own, public speaking, and even speaking for myself when I knew I had ideas that were beneficial to my team and friends.
““Vivir con miedo es como vivir a medias
Living in fear is like living a half-life””
Fear is something we all know and have experienced whether we share the same culture or not. It prevents us from growing and becoming who we truly are. In my instance, it was preventing me from honing the skills I need to become successful and achieve my dreams. From my time thus far at SLA, I allowed myself to be open and make mistakes that I know I should not be embarrassed about. There were instances where I stuttered when I spoke, could not park the truck between two cars but eventually did it, got out of a dock in a not so gracious manner with the boat, constantly tripped while hiking during trail work, got splinters from bundling wood, or had kayaks flip over me when pulling it out from the top rack. Even when I first camped outside by myself, I had a kayak fall on my toe, got caught in a storm while kayaking, and was so afraid of being by myself on an island that even the squirrels scared me when they suddenly moved. Sometimes you have to just laugh at these memories, especially when telling it to other people, just because it happened and it was a real experience that would never be forgotten.
When I camped on Bowman Island, I went to the dock after completing my tasks to see the sunset. From a distance, the mountains appeared as blueish-gray shadows overlapping one another. The sky was filled with pink, yellow, and blue hues with three small clouds traveling slowly across my view. It was peaceful and familiar. Similar to my experiences in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, I felt like I belonged here at this moment. I felt content with my decision to join SLA. The organization has given me the tools and freedom to grow mentally and physically, similar to my experiences in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. I learned to speak assertively about the ideas I have, to be an active member, speak concisely, have no fear when asking questions about things I really do not know, problem-solve, be creative, and to care for my personal wellbeing (taking the time to eat healthier and sleeping earlier). The combined experiences that I have, inspires me to encourage younger generations of Latinx to join ecological programs. I think it was always a personal goal to specifically encourage younger girls into joining STEM fields when they go to college or join a program, but that would be an objective I wish to accomplish during/after graduate school in Fall 2022.
““Piérdete en el mundo y encuéntrate contigo mismo
Get lost in the world and find yourself at the same time”.”
Laurie is really passionate about invasive species and pollinators. If you see her around, ask her about her favorite bee! Learn more about Laurie here.