06 Jun From Midwest to North East

Hello everyone! My name is Carlos Silva-Trejo and I will be interning at the National Park Service Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation in Boston, Massachusetts this summer! The will be a Cultural Landscape Research Assistant working to help prepare the “Cultural Landscape Reportfor Liberty Island”, listed as a National Register Historic Place and World Heritage Site.

Heading into my final year at Iowa State University in the College of Design for my BLA in Landscape Architecture, being able to help preserve our historical and public spaces is truly an honor, and I look forward to this great opportunity! Public spaces have an enormous social significance to the existing framework of a city and/or town; to be able to bring people from different ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds with our current political and social issues happening is extremely important if we want to create some type of change. Urban spaces provide the opportunity for community integrated programs and inclusive activities that can bring people together.

 little about me. I was born in Des Moines, Iowa and have lived here my entire life. My parents are both from Mexico; mom is from Zimapan, Hidalgo and my dad is from Durango, Durango. They first came here as immigrants in the late 80’s. Through their experiences I was able to understand early in my childhood the differences between me and my classmates in school and our upbringings. As a minority, I had to work harder and longer for things others seemed to get almost effortlessly. Thanks to that, I was able to value what others seem to ignore and neglect. To me my family and friends mean everything to me, and without them I would not be the person I am today. I have three older sisters who along with myparents mean everything to me. I am also the proud father of a Blue Nose Pitbull named Kyra, who I love very much although she can sometimes be a pain.

To me, this opportunity is not only for me but for everyone that has helped me get to this point as well a continuation of the efforts and sacrifices my parents made. As a thirteen year-old kid helping my dad work every day after school, to becoming a federal intern for the National Park Service is a great accomplishment for me. I hope to make everyone who has help me this far proud, because this is a stepping stone for my future.