Cam Juárez & The Importance of BioDiversity

Written by: Lizbeth Perez, Intern Support Specialist, and Elena Greenberg, Senior Program Coordinator with The Bio/Diversity Project

On August 28th, The Bio/Diversity Project hosted our biannual orientation event with the Fall 2021 UArizona student intern cohort and our 2021-2022 K-12 partner teachers. The goal of this 3-hour event is to provide the training necessary for UArizona students to begin their journey as effective environmental science outreach educators and advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusivity, while also providing training for K-12 partner teachers to support the UArizona students as mentors. One of the highlights of this event is hearing from local environmental experts in the field, who are invited to speak about their experience on a relevant environmental topic. We feel very grateful to have hosted our Fall 2021 Bio/Diversity Project Orientation with keynote speaker Cam Juárez, the Community Engagement & Outreach Coordinator at Saguaro National Park, who presented on the importance of biodiversity for the people and the planet, and specifically the importance of fostering a diverse and inclusive environmental workforce. 

In addition to Cam’s important role in community engagement and outreach at Saguaro National Park, he also serves as a public information officer for Saguaro National Park, and on the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s advisory board, as well as the Metropolitan Education Commission for the City of Tucson. Cam works with a variety of local organizations that promote outdoor engagement including F.U.G.A . - Families United Gaining Accessibility. Cam's mission is to promote diversity of race & ability in conservation movements and encourage outdoor recreation within the BIPOC community. Cam broadens park awareness by creating culturally relevant and diverse programs that meaningfully reflect the region's population. He works diligently to bridge the gap between nature, the park and underrepresented communities by fostering inclusivity, diversity, and inspiration in the park’s programming and visitors.

Here’s what Cam has to say about why diverse, equitable, and inclusive environmental and conservation fields are important to him: 

“We are well past a point in our collective histories where we can holistically save this one planet we all live on. I think it is our responsibility to this generation and future generations, to do what we can to reduce the impact the human race has had on planet Earth. ‘Equitable’ to me means that the environmentalist movement needs to do more than just try to save scenic spaces and endangered species, this predominantly white movement needs to unconditionally work to lessen the impact of environmental racism on those who don't have a voice in the decision-making process.

To me, ‘equitable access’ means that we need to do everything we can to expose young BIPOC to environmental and engineering sciences as early as possible, so that they may enter STEM fields not just to help save this planet, but to also create generational wealth that will help save their own families."

-Cam Juárez

Thank you, Cam, for all that you do and for your partnership with WISE and The Bio/Diversity Project!