🎶El Mariachi Loco Quiere Bailar 🎺 El Mariachi Loco Quiere Bailar🎶.
As the Mariachi played in the background, a local Grower and his team enjoyed Cheese Tostadas with Chile De Tomatillo, while Alena Anousinh, CMSF’s Water Quality Program Associate enjoyed her toasted Elote. Though most of our field days don’t involve a Mariachi band serenading us as we eat Mexican food, this day was special because we joined the Fiesta with our agricultural partners and honored hispanic heritage.
However, on a typical day you will find members of the Water Quality Program’s Plasticulture team working closely with local hispanic communities! Our interactive work allows the Plasticulture team to collaborate directly with diverse audiences as we work towards protecting coastal ecosystems. Our unique efforts tie the strong agricultural communities to marine protection efforts:
Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz, Water Quality Program Manager for the Plasticulture team has sat on the EcoFarms Spanish Planning Committee for the past two years. She helped organize and present the Spanish Workshop series during the annual EcoFarm (Ecological Farming) Conference that highlights regenerative agriculture practices benefiting the sanctuary.
Over the last three years, CMSF’s Water Quality Program hosted a series of outreach events that offer all Spanish Content, or include live spanish interpretation services. This summer we hosted our first Plasticulture Field Day in Oxnard California, that included bilingual presentations and live interpretation.
CMSF’s Water Quality Program also sits on the Advisory committee for the FARMS Leadership program, which is geared at providing mentorship services to high school students interested in pursuing a career in agriculture. Just this past week, Ms. Anousinh hosted 28 FARM students from across Santa Cruz and Salinas Valley on a trip that highlighted efforts to decrease marine debris by working to prevent the escape of agricultural plastics.
This month, through a collaboration with local conventional and organic hispanic growers, we kicked off trials to test a technology aimed at recycling plastic films used in strawberry fields.
We are proud to serve the diverse and culturally rich Hispanic communities that surround California’s Central Coast and its National Sanctuaries. If you want to join our mission we welcome you. Take a proactive approach and join us in any capacity: volunteer, apply for open job positions, donate, or join our board of directors.
¡Salud al Mes De la Herencia Hispana!
