It's so great to see the McClellan Ranch Preserve of the City of Cupertino celebrate Black History Month by shining the spotlight on UC Davis alumnus Ralph Washington, Jr., and his journey to become an entomologist.
Ralph is featured in a display in the Environmental Education Center of the 18-acre McClellan Ranch Preserve. The Center, according to its website, is where "visitors can immerse themselves in the fascinating world of local wildlife and gain deeper insights into the natural wonders of the preserve or go for a walk on the preserve's trail."
Ralph received his bachelor of science degree in entomology from UC Davis in 2010, and went on enroll in graduate school at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, where he achieved national and international recognition.
The Black History Month display came about when Kryssel Elevazo, community coordinator for the City of Cupertino's McClellan Ranch Preserve, emailed us that "We are doing a display inside our education center on local Black environmentalists to inspire visitors." She mentioned reading a 2016 Bug Squad blog about how Ralph is "inspiring and helping youngsters learn science."
The Bug Squad blog quoted Ralph: "All human beings are born curious, but the wrong conditions can jeopardize that curiosity. Many children in poverty grow up feeling a lack of control over their circumstances, and this severely inhibits their ability to imagine a reality other than their own. Targeted science education starting from a young age can inspire and help struggling children."
At the time, Ralph was one of nine speakers from various disciplines singled out to deliver presentations in the TEDxUCDavis Conference, held May 1, 2016 at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis.
In the blog, we mentioned that Ralph captained the UC Davis team in the 2015 Linnaean Games (now the Entomology Games) at the Entomological Society of America that won the national championship. At the time of his TEDx talk, he was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, chair of the UC Davis Graduate Student Association, co-chair of the UC Council of Student Body Presidents, and one of the leaders of the UC Davis Black Graduate and Professional Students Association.
"Through these endeavors, Ralph has had the convenient opportunity to pursue his commitments to both science and social justice," the TEDxUCDavis organizers related. "He will continue doing so during his future career as a research professor, by presenting science to low-income children."
We ended the Bug Squad blog with: "It's good to see TEDxUCDavis focus on what matters, and in so doing, motivate, inspire and encourage others to do pursue their education, chase their dreams, and reach their goals."
Update: Ralph continues to inspire youngsters and adults alike. He is a public speaker, scientist and educator. On his website, he writes "Howdy, I'm Ralph. I spend most of my time thinking about empathy and arthropods, and there is a striking interconnection between the two subjects. Insects live on every continent, they are found in nearly all environments, and they affect what we eat, what we wear, and where we live. Yet, despite their tremendous influence on our own lives, and their outsized importance in global ecology, insects are often ignored, neglected, or maligned. We often exhibit similar ignorance, contempt, and dread towards other human beings. I believe that if we grow in kindness towards the small and six-legged, we will also grow in kindness towards ourselves. I offer speeches, workshops, and presentations on empathy, love, cultural understanding, ecological mindfulness, and insect biodiversity."
A tip of the insect net to Ralph Washington, Jr., and to the McClellan Ranch Preserve for spotlighting this amazing entomologist and his belief that "if we grow in kindness towards the small and six-legged, we will also grow in kindness towards ourselves."
Cover image: This image of Ralph Washington, Jr. appears on his website, ralphwashingtonjr.com. (Photo courtesy of Ralph Washington, Jr.)