01 Jun Greetings from California!

Hi! My name is Sara Delgadillo and I’m a native of the San Fernando Valley (in Los Angeles), California and a recent graduate from the Master of Heritage Conservation program at the USC School of Architecture. This summer I will be working with the Cultural Resources Division of the National Park Service’s Pacific West Regional Office in the heart of downtown San Francisco. There I will be assisting in the development of a priority list of properties located within the region that are associated with the Latino Heritage Initiative (LHI), Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Initiative (AAPI) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Initiative (LGBTQ) for further study. Additionally, I will be participating as a student assistant for DiscoverSF! Youth Heritage Program that is put on through a partnership with San Francisco Heritage and the Galing Bata Filipino Education Center. I’m excited to learn and experience first-hand the roles the National Park Service has in communities outside the boundaries of national park units and the various initiatives developed in order to help identify and conserve places that matter to minority groups. One of my many goals is to form part and lead in the movement that strives to conserve the tangible and intangible heritage of minority and underrepresented groups in the United States. Last week as I participated in the National Summit for the group Latinos in Heritage Conservation in Tucson, Arizona, I was reminded once more that there are many of us already practicing conservation without actively calling ourselves conservationists. Thanks to opportunities for students and emerging conservationists like the Latino Heritage Internship program, we can join forces through our various fields to conserve the many aspects of our history, culture, and environment. I am grateful to have been selected as a participant in the Latino Heritage Internship Program, I feel this opportunity will allow me and other participants the exposure and skills to better serve our communities through conservation. I look forward to sharing my experiences and also reading the experiences of other interns.

Photo of attendees – Latinos in Heritage Conservation, 2015 National Summit in Tucson, Arizona