Protecting the animals that support the life of a community has always been a focus for Indigenous people. In some places that mission became a bit easier during the pandemic lockdown, as the human retreat gave animals space to flourish. But the mission goes on and its importance transcends nutrition because the species that sustain a community inevitably become an inextricable part of its culture.  

Growing up on ancestral lands next to Yosemite National Park, Irene Vasquez spent countless hours hiking, swimming, biking, and attending cultural ceremonies. Over the years, she’s seen the ecological deterioration of the land that she calls home. This deterioration pushed Vasquez to realize a dream: to help influence management of public lands with an Indigenous perspective.