Olivia Juarez | Salt Lake City, UT
Why does wilderness matter to you?
Wilderness matters to me because wild places do not discriminate. They do not carry prejudice nor the intention to oppress. And wild places have the power to witness. Even when alone—maybe especially when alone in a remote, wild place—wilderness has a way of making you feel seen and accepted. Wilderness doesn’t misgender you. Wilderness doesn’t sexualize you. Wilderness humbles you—it reminds you of the “hum” in “human.” Wilderness is the ultimate expression of sovereignty and self-determination. Wild places offer piñon nuts and meat because they can. Miraculous juniper trees grow from wild canyon wall cracks 1,000 feet high, decorated with magnesium murals of geologic time scales because they can. Wilderness reflects the light of day, stars, and moon because they can. Wilderness matters because it is a reminder that true freedom is a natural disposition, but it is not unconditional. Wilderness teaches us that freedom is contingent upon relationship, reciprocity and responsibility.
Why does wilderness matter to your community?
The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, is also the 250th anniversary of the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition. With the guidance of Ute and Paiute tribe members, the party led by Silvestre Vélez de Escalante and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez were among the first Spaniards to see the Colorado Plateau and Great Basin in its natural state. The name Silvestre is also a word for “wild” in Spanish. The lands and waters encountered by the party which remain wild today allow people of all backgrounds to form a relationship with the natural heritage of the region; that natural heritage characterizes Hispanic heritage. Hispanic and Latino history is embedded in wilderness far earlier than the year 1776. Archeological materials like scarlet macaw feathers and bones, copper bells, and ceremonial cacao have been found in wild and historic places across the Colorado Plateau. Wilderness reminds: Latinos have always belonged here and we always will.
Share a story about a special experience you have had in wilderness.
After graduating from the University of Utah in the spring of 2017, my now fiancé’s mom brought us on a five-night rafting trip down the Green River through Desolation and Gray Canyons in Utah. By this time my partner had already asked me to move in with him twice. Each time I declined, but he was undeterred. He planned on the power of water and wilderness for popping the question (again) on the riverside. Under twinkling stars, getting settled for sleep with the sounds of the river, and freshly freed from academia, he asked, “Will you move in with me?” I enthusiastically agreed. Less than two years later, the Emery County Public Land Management Act was signed into law ensuring that the western side of Desolation Canyon will remain just as it was on this special night.
