Today we’d like to introduce you to Susana Cruz.
Hi Susana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Nature was not for people from my hood. It was for others who didn’t resemble us. Fortunately, my educator parents took us often to Chickasaw National Recreation Area and to visit family in a remote town in San Salvador, Zacatecas, Mexico. These places initially sparked my interest in nature. In elementary school, I received a scholarship to attend Science Day camp at the Natural History Museum in Fair Park. Only I noticed something; I was the only Mexican American kid present. This has been a reoccurring theme of my life; being the token person of color. Playing tennis growing up in Texas, moving to Missouri for college, and working in camps only continued this reality of me being one of the only Latinas represented at any given moment. Pushing my feelings aside for decades because people called me “sensitive” for expressing myself about racial aggressions people were so comfortable with verbalizing, I quietly let it accumulate into a mountain of unresolved moments.
In spring of 2020, there was a conversation I had with a person lacking melanin who tried to explain racial profiling[even though I worked in and studied Criminal Justice], attempted to go into detail about a concept in Psychology[again studied and worked in the field], and lastly, made me feel sexualized for pronouncing words in Spanish correctly. Left the conversation annoyed, frustrated, and confused. In most of my life, I’ve had no qualms about expressing myself when something is wrong. Yet in this moment and others having to do with racially driven conversations or mansplaining, backing down was the go-to especially having feelings for whomever was speaking. This made me feel truly disingenuous and lit a fire under me for change. Just had no idea what it would be.
During the Summer of 2020, I wrote a top ten list after hiking a challenging trail in Colorado with a couple of friends. Someone suggested I send it to an outdoor magazine. While looking for where to send it, none of them spoke to me or had other POC represented. Then I thought about why and wanted to change it! This was the shift I was looking to make happen.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t even been a year, so the challenges of garnering attention and getting more people involved has been a struggle. Since the focus is more on education, reconnecting with nature, and not miles on hikes, this sometimes deters people from getting involved. Also, the fact people will be meeting a complete stranger in a wooded environment is already daunting to POC. The first time ever personally driving off a paved road to work at a camp, I got nervous. Definitely understand people’s concerns.
Partnership building with organizations and schools has helped with giving more credibility and sustainability for Chicana In Nature.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My mission is to create opportunities for BIPOC communities to learn about science and nature, teach and connect those who have no idea where to start, and promote enjoyment of the outdoors. It’s kind of funny to ask what Chicana In Nature specializes in because there are 24 topics within Science, Nature and Environmental Education I can teach. My favorites to teach would-be edible foraging, Survival Skills, trees, Herpetology [study of reptiles and amphibians], and Entomology [study of insects].
Most proud of the variety of knowledge I’m able to share with others because everyone likes something different on trails or when I’m teaching. Feel like what sets me apart from others is the ability to go to any trail, anywhere and have information about organisms while being able to break it down so people understand. This stems from my background in outdoor education and my parents encouraging us to learn as much as possible.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how Dallas has the most green space out of all the cities in the United States. I don’t like how people have no clue about the spaces and access can be difficult without a vehicle. People should be able to walk their city. Dallas is not the best for traversing to green space.
Contact Info:
- Email: scruz@chicanainnature.com
- Website: chicanainnature.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/chicanainnature?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChicanainNature/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chicana_in?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjflPivXiyobpLNbBf83NfA
Image Credits
Ashlee Freese
