05 Jul This Place Rocks! Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon National Park

Hola Todos!

My name is Victoria Pedrosa and I have finally made it to my site, Kings Canyon National Park!! I am a born and bred Southern Californian, warm beaches to my left and majestic mountainous ranges to my northern right. I have been privileged enough to call the Sierra Nevada as part of my home for so long and am absolutely thrilled that I have received this opportunity to give back to the place I love so much.

Growing up, I remember my dad taking me on my first camping trips in the Sierra Nevada and being in complete awe of the landscapes and biodiversity that thrived there. Even now, I am still amazed at all the new information that I am learning that I didn’t know before and the small changes to the ecosystems that I notice now. I have been here for about a week now and do not get any type of cell service/internet which is an adjustment of its own, but have finally settled into writing my first blog post.

Being immersed in nature, even for the short amount of time I have been here, I can already feel myself distressing and become more in tune with myself and my surrounding environment. The experience that I have also gained from everyone I work with has been crucial in helping me grow and learn about the National Park Service and what it means to be a Latina working within it.

I work in the Interpretation division of the park and I am currently working on the first program that I will hopefully give by the end of this week. My goal is to create a program that integrates my interests and what I feel passionate about. I instantly thought about the fact that I haven’t heard much from the living history of the Native Americans in Kings Canyon. I want to tell their story and hopefully give them the recognition they deserve. Creating a program is a lot of work that is both enlightening and rewarding. I can’t wait to share the knowledge I acquire with the public and make a positive impact within the community as well.

I happy to say Kings Canyon is quickly becoming home to me and cannot wait for the new adventures and information that awaits me!

All my best,

Victoria