- Author: Michael Hsu
New Cooperative Extension director has worked extensively with Native American communities, youth groups
Growing up in Upper Lake, along the “North Shore” of Clear Lake, Matthew Barnes lived near several of the Lake County region's seven federally recognized tribes. Although he counted several Native Americans among his diverse circle of childhood friends, and was very familiar with those communities, Barnes was nonetheless quite nervous when he was appointed in 2009 as the inaugural executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Pomo Nation.
Barnes – a non-Native of European and Filipino descent – vividly remembers the tribal administrator paying him a visit on one of his first days on the job. “He said, ‘Hey, you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak and you'll be fine,'” Barnes recalled. “And that's definitely stuck with me.”
That approach is continuing to guide Barnes in his new role as University of California Cooperative Extension director for Lake and Mendocino counties. He will guide and support research, outreach and education activities to meet the area's agriculture, natural resources, and youth and community development needs.
Since starting in May, Barnes has been getting a crash course from UCCE advisors and staff on viticulture research, pest management practices, 4-H camps, and a host of other projects and programs – while also meeting with local communities on the region's most pressing challenges.
“What I've been doing – and will continue to do – is just to listen and learn, and when I can add value to a conversation or project, then I'll do that,” Barnes said. “But leadership to me starts with the relationships we build – with our staff and with the community.”
Bringing a range of experiences in youth programs, social services
One area in which Barnes will certainly add value is developing youth and community programs. During his time with Boys & Girls Club of the Pomo Nation, it was one of only three Boys & Girls Clubs established on tribal land in California. In that role, Barnes faced the unique challenge of integrating the Boys & Girls Club curriculum into a community for which it was not originally designed.
By adapting the curriculum to include culturally relevant topics, Barnes transformed the program into a model that eventually aided in the creation of a Native American-focused branch, Boys & Girls Clubs of America Native Services.
“This initiative now serves as a national standard for Boys & Girls Clubs on tribal lands,” Barnes said.
He later became a director of California Tribal TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), a direct cash assistance and supportive services program for Native American families in 17 counties across the state.
During his decade of TANF work, Barnes launched career development programs, alcohol and other drug counseling programs, and cultural revitalization initiatives. Some of the programs are still running and serving communities to this day.
“The trick is making those programs something that participants can see the value in,” Barnes explained. “And to do that, you go into the communities and talk to people and listen to what they need – instead of you telling them what they need.”
Barnes' experience partnering with Native American communities is just one of the many strengths he will bring to UCCE and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“We're very excited to have Matthew join the UC ANR family,” said Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, UC ANR's director of County Cooperative Extension. “His personal knowledge of Lake and Mendocino counties and his previous work with Indigenous populations will be a tremendous asset to extending and elevating our work.”
Immediately prior to joining UC ANR, Barnes served as director of Lake County's Upward Bound program, which helps students from three local high schools experience and prepare for higher education.
“Overall, what drives me personally is the opportunity to make an impact on communities, on youth, and on people in general through program development and management,” Barnes said.
Inspiring young people as a mentor
Barnes' passion for youth development – and the impetus for his bachelor's degree in social work from Cal Poly Humboldt – can be traced to his AmeriCorps experience while he was attending Mendocino College. For two years, he worked as a tutor for young people, in Lake County and then in Sonoma County, and saw firsthand the difference educators and mentors can make in their lives.
“You could say I kind of caught the bug – just seeing the light bulbs go on when you're helping a youth of that age,” Barnes said.
From there, Barnes took a position directing teen programs for the Boys and Girls Club of Healdsburg, where he began to fully appreciate the importance of trusted adults simply “being there” for young people as a listening ear for whatever they want to talk about.
Among the many teens Barnes worked with, “Rodrigo” was a middle schooler who was pegged by his school and community as someone who could “slip through the cracks.” Rodrigo was the last to go home at the end of each day, and Barnes would chat with him – answering his questions about life or just talking about a new rap album.
“I realized I was ‘that person' for him – that person outside his house, outside his school,” Barnes said.
Even after Barnes left the Boys and Girls Club, Rodrigo – bound for university – invited him to his high school graduation. Barnes said it is tremendously gratifying to know he had a “small role” in shaping the path for Rodrigo – and countless others.
“Their success is still theirs; it's not necessarily because of me,” Barnes added. “My job is to do what I can in the moment to hopefully plant some seeds that may sprout in the future.”
Settled in Middletown, not far from his hometown, where he and his wife are raising two children, Barnes is now positioned to help nurture a flourishing Lake County and resilient Mendocino County.
“I feel like my past experiences, both in life and my career, have prepared me for this,” Barnes said.
/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: John M Harper
Attention Mendocino & Lake Ranchers, Farmers, Forest Land Owners:
Attached is a flier about our survey that some of you may have received. It is very important that you take the time to fill out the survey as it helps us help you. It also help us justify Advisor position requests that will serve Mendocino & Lake Counties. The information we collect is completely confidential and will be used to clean up our client database and give us direction for the types of programs and research you want. If you have children of 4-H age or know others that might be interested in 4-H we will use that part of the survey results for contacting you about participating. If you want ranch, forest or farm visits with our Advisors we will follow up with you to schedule.
Thanks so much for completing the survey!
Sincerely,
John Harper
UCCE Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor, Emeritus
UCCE Programs Interest and Mailing List Sign UP Survey
- Author: Saoimanu Sope
En celebración del Mes de la Historia Negra
Muchas personas conocen sobre Compton, una ciudad ubicada en el sur del condado de Los Ángeles, gracias a la música, películas y medios de comunicación. Keith Nathaniel lo conoce por experiencia directa. Antes de que Nathaniel y su familia se mudaran a Compton en la década de los 1970, los disturbios de 1965 en el área de Watts intensificaron la tensión que se estaba gestando entre las fuerzas del orden y la comunidad negra, la cual se sentía no solo en California sino en toda la nación.
"Antes de mudarnos, Compton iba cambiando de ser una ciudad predominantemente blanca a una ciudad negra. Los disturbios de Watts cambiaron eso y de pronto, hubo blancos que salieron huyendo de Compton hacia los suburbios", mencionó Nathaniel, director de Extensión Cooperativa de UC en el condado de Los Ángeles.
Al ir creciendo, Nathaniel estaba rodeado de personas que lucían como él. "Era una comunidad típica que se apoyaba entre sí. Los adultos se conocían entre sí y los chicos se conocían entre sí”, agregó.
Nathaniel recuerda a sus maestros en la primaria y secundaria, identificándolos como la primera generación de estudiantes universitarios – la mayoría de los cuales se graduaron de la universidad tras el caso de derechos civiles Brown vs. Board of Education de 1954, el cual terminó la segregación racial en las escuelas públicas de todo Estados Unidos.
"Esos maestros tenían el deseo real de que igualáramos y hasta excediéramos su nivel educativo", expresó Nathaniel. "Estaban comprometidos a vernos convertidos en adultos saludables y prósperos".
No obstante que Nathaniel y sus compañeros tuvieron líderes negros que influyeron en ellos en sus escuelas, darle prioridad a su éxito académico fue un reto ante la introducción del crac de cocaína "Con las drogas llegó la afluencia de pandillas. Luego vimos a la comunidad desestabilizarse debido a las pandillas que querían controlar su cuadra y esa esquina", dijo Nathaniel.
"Solíamos tener balaceras en nuestra escuela. Pero las afectadas eran las vidas negras y cafés por lo que no era del interés periodístico en ese sentido. No como hoy en día en la que vemos las noticias una epidemia de tiroteos en las escuelas. Eso pasaba en otros tiempos, también", indicó, enfatizando que a él y sus compañeros se le recordaba constantemente que tuvieran cuidado cuando asistían a eventos sociales en la comunidad.
"Daba miedo pensar que te pudieran confundir con un miembro de la pandilla aun cuando no tuvieras nada que ver".
Estudiantes que una vez fueron amigos en primaria o secundaria se volvieron enemigos al iniciar la preparatoria. A pesar de que los chicos negros eran altamente preferidos como reclutas para pandillas, Nathaniel señaló que sus fuertes bases familiares y su enfoque en los estudios lo mantuvieron alejado del fuego cruzado en el que otros se metieron.
Después de graduarse de la preparatoria, Nathaniel ingresó a UC Davis, donde se cambió a sociología después de darse cuenta de que la ingeniería no era para él. "Tenía la intención de graduarme de ingeniería, pero era algo muy competitivo. Estaba en clases con estudiantes de pre-medicina y estaban subiendo la curva de calificaciones", bromeó.
Sin embargo, de lo que Nathaniel no se dio cuenta antes de la universidad, es que la aptitud académica no sería el aspecto más importante en su experiencia con la educación. Fueron también las conexiones y relaciones que construyó con otros. Al reflexionar sobre los cinco años que pasó en UC Davis, Nathaniel dijo que fueron los mejores cinco años de su juventud.
Agradecido con los maestros y consejeros que los mantuvieron a raya, Nathaniel determinó que deseaba convertirse en maestro. Después de Davis, cursó su maestría en la Universidad de Florida A&M donde estudió liderazgo educacional. A pesar de que su consejera de preparatoria instaba a los estudiantes negros a no ingresar a una universidad o colegio históricamente de negros, Nathaniel sintió la urgencia de hacer precisamente eso.
"Mi consejera era simplemente increíble. Su objetivo era que todos fueran a la universidad", mencionó Nathaniel. "Pero no le gustaba la idea de que fuéramos a HBCU porque no es como se ve el mundo real. Nos decía que lo mejor para nosotros era integrarnos en campus que reflejaran el mundo en el que vivimos".
La madre de Nathaniel murió mientras el asistía a escuela de postgrado, por lo cual regresó a California. A pesar de que su pérdida le llevó a creer que regresar a la escuela no era ideal en ese momento, Nathaniel manifestó que sus profesores lo buscaron mientras estaba lejos y su preocupación lo hizo cambiar de parecer.
"Preguntaban cómo estaba y eso me hizo darme cuenta del apoyo que tenía en Florida. Estoy seguro de que eso no hubiera pasado si no estuviera asistiendo a una HBCU", dijo Nathaniel, quien regresó a Florida a terminar lo que había empezado.
Mientras sacaba su maestría, Nathaniel recuerda que lo alentaron a estudiar un doctorado y lo consideró seriamente pero no inmediatamente. Para entonces, su visión giraba en convertirse en director o superintendente y expandir sus influencias más allá del aula. "Quería un lugar en la mesa, pero sabía que primero necesitaba tener las credenciales", agregó.
Después de regresar a California, Nathaniel solicitó un puesto de maestro y se encontró con un aviso en Los Angeles Times en donde buscaban un coordinador para el programa 4-H. No le dieron la posición que solicitó, pero le ofrecieron un puesto como coordinador en el programa de voluntarios Americorp/VISTA y lo aceptó sin dudar.
Desde 1994, Nathaniel ha formado parte de Extensión Cooperativa de UC y se inició en la gestión de los voluntarios de Americorp/VISTA, quienes eran responsables de introducir el programa 4-H a las comunidades de Los Ángeles. El programa creció rápidamente, contando con la participación de cuatro a cinco mil chicos diariamente. El poder del programa no solo radicaba en la pasión mostrada por los voluntarios, sino en el hecho de que estos vivían en las comunidades a las que servían.
Antes de su trabajo en 4-H, Nathaniel trabajó el Campfire Council y fue introducido a la educación informal como enseñar a los jóvenes sobre las destrezas de la vida y conectarse con ellos fuera del aula escolar. Esta experiencia le sirvió de mucho a Nathaniel conforme se integraba a 4-H, inspirándole a dar un giro en su meta original de enseñar en el sistema formal de kínder a grado 12.
En 1997, Nathaniel fue aceptado en UCLA en donde obtuvo un doctorado en educación mientras trabajaba a tiempo completo. "Regresar a ese lugar en la mesa… en este momento de mi carrera, sabía que quería influir en la política en beneficio de los jóvenes. Quería más que solo enseñar. Y también sabía que necesitaba de credenciales para hacerlo", dijo Nathaniel.
Hoy en día, Nathaniel inicia su trigésimo año de servicio a la comunidad a través de Extensión Cooperativa de UC. Al darse cuenta lo lejos que ha llegado, Nathaniel manifestó que la adversidad en su niñez le ayudó a formar su carácter y prepararlo para las futuras batallas.
Haciendo hincapié en la importancia de conectar con la gente, Nathaniel indicó que es satisfactorio servir a la comunidad que lo crió y le da crédito por sus triunfos a los mentores y compañeros que ha conocido en el camino.
"Si nos rodeamos de personas que tienen en sus mentes nuestros mejores intereses, creemos que vamos a llegar", dijo. "Se trata también de ser desinteresados. Que podamos ayudar a otros a que se vean asimismo de la manera en que los vemos; que se sientan empoderados a hacer cualquier cosa que quieran. Eso es lo que yo tuve y es lo que espero retribuir”.
La División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de UC lleva información y prácticas de UC a todos los 58 condados de California. Nuestra misión es mejorar las vidas de todos los californianos a través de investigaciones y Extensión Cooperativa en agricultura, recursos naturales, nutrición, economía y desarrollo juvenil. Para más información visite ucanr.edu.
Para leer más noticias de UC ANR, visite nuestra sala de redacción en ?https://ucanr.edu/News
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CONTACTO: Saoimanu Sope, (424) 366-0897, ssope@ucanr.edu
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Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés.
- Author: Michael Hsu
Community nutrition and health advisor builds bridges across cultures in Tulare, Kings, Fresno and Madera counties
At a young age, Irene Padasas – UC Cooperative Extension community nutrition and health advisor for Tulare, Kings, Fresno and Madera counties – saw first-hand how environmental health conditions can impact a family's choices.
When she was in fourth grade, her parents moved their family from bustling Manila, capital of the Philippines, to a small town on a distant island. Her younger brother, who had been hospitalized at age 3 for a year due to complications from meningitis, had to re-learn how to walk and talk.
Padasas' mother hoped that leaving the more polluted urban environment would benefit his long road of rehabilitation. “The decision was made to ensure a better quality of life for my brother,” Padasas said. “So my parents decided to just move to the countryside.”
The family settled in a beach town in largely rural Aklan province, near the center of the Philippine archipelago.
“There are advantages living in a place like that, where you're close to nature; there's not much traffic; the community is very tight,” Padasas said. “You feel like you're part of this small community where everybody is looking after each other.”
Contributing to that sense of community – and cultivating close relationships to ensure the health and well-being of all – are just some of the reasons why Padasas chose her line of work in Cooperative Extension.
Padasas oversees the delivery of two federal nutrition programs in her region – CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. She develops, provides and evaluates Extension programs in partnership with the diverse populations of the Central Valley, including a variety of Latino, Mexican Indigenous and Asian communities.
Despite differences in culture and background, Padasas works to find common ground and build bridges – often through a joke and a laugh.
“Humor is such a big part of Filipino culture; with the challenges that I encountered in life, humor was so important in getting through and bouncing back,” she said. “That part of my culture is an important aspect of me to build relationships and genuine connections and introduce the work that we do; they don't see us as a ‘researcher from University of California,' they see us just like them, just like anybody else in the community.”
Growing up near both the beach and farmland in Aklan, Padasas feels an affinity for the agricultural landscapes and lifestyles in the San Joaquin Valley. She remembers feeding her family's chickens and pigs and playing among the neighbors' cows and water buffalo.
“I feel like whenever I drive to different places here in the Central Valley, it reminds me a lot of my childhood back in the day,” she said.
Nevertheless, Padasas misses the food in the Philippines – especially the seafood that she grew up eating, succulent prawns and enormous fish found nowhere in California.
“We would wait by the shore for whatever the fishermen would sell – it's really fresh fish, literally fresh from the boat,” she recalled.
Mealtimes were central in the childhood of Padasas and her siblings, who both live in the Philippines and help care for their parents; her brother is an engineer and her older sister is a teacher. Food was and remains a focal point for sharing and connecting, within their household and across the culture.
“When I was growing up, my parents made sure we were spending time as a family, eating together during dinner and sharing special meals on weekends,” Padasas said.
Chance encounter leads to an Extension career
Padasas returned to the Manila metro area for college, at the University of the Philippines Dilliman, where she earned a bachelor's degree in special education. After working as a special ed teacher for about seven years, she went to graduate school at Ateneo de Manila University for her master's in developmental psychology.
Originally intending to pursue a career as a child psychologist, Padasas said her path changed when she met Maria de Guzman, a University of Nebraska professor and Ateneo de Manila alumna, who returned to her alma mater to present her research on “yayas” – live-in caregivers for children in the Philippines.
Intrigued by that study, Padasas leaped at the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. with de Guzman at Nebraska, where she would write her doctoral dissertation on social capital – such as personal relationships and networks – as predictors of college success for underrepresented minority students.
It was also de Guzman, herself an Extension specialist, who guided Padasas on that career track.
“I knew at that time I wanted to work in Extension, but it was a vague concept to me because in the Philippines we don't have Extension as part of the university,” Padasas explained. “Dr. de Guzman was the one who really introduced me to Extension.”
During graduate school in Nebraska, Padasas gained valuable experience working with a diverse range of ethnic minorities and refugees, including Latinos, Filipinos, Yazidis and Congolese. She especially enjoyed working with children and teens – a favorite aspect of her work that continues to this day. Padasas said that, when given the opportunity to discuss her academic background, she mentions her educational experience to young people.
“I always make sure to talk about my work as a research scientist – to encourage these kids, especially those from underrepresented minority groups, to see themselves in my shoes, to show them that: ‘You could also become like me, a person of color, a researcher, and that's not an impossible path for you,'” Padasas said.
That academic track – and her entire life's journey – have prepared Padasas well for her current role, within an organization that spans the state of California and all its diverse communities.
“I think that's the beauty of the work that we do at UC ANR,” she said. “We are provided with so many opportunities to connect and to create impact for so many people across different populations.”
/h3>/h3>- Author: Mike Hsu
UC Cooperative Extension team in Sutter and Yuba counties showcases UC ANR programs, community partners
When dozens of elementary schoolers gathered to watch a live calf birth at Tollcrest Dairy in Yuba County, their comments ranged from “disgusting but cool” to “I saw something that maybe I'm too young to see.”
Expanding horizons, growing knowledge and gently pushing some limits were at the heart of a four-week day camp, Ag-Venture, organized by the University of California Cooperative Extension office serving Sutter and Yuba counties.
Throughout July, more than 80 campers – ages 5 through 12 – explored agriculture and science topics through field trips across the region, hands-on activities and lively presentations by UCCE advisors, UC Master Gardeners, 4-H specialists, UC Master Food Preservers and CalFresh Healthy Living, UC educators. All these groups fall under the umbrella of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.
A grant from The Center at Sierra Health Foundation funded this day camp for underserved youth focused on agriculture and natural resources – the first of its kind in the area. Exploring the themes of “Interesting Insects,” “Foods and Farms,” “Woods and Water” and “Awesome Animals,” the campers learned directly from community experts and UC ANR scientists.
“Some of the kids might think scientists are only wearing lab coats and working with genetics and DNA and human-based science, but here they got to see agricultural scientists and natural scientists,” said Rayna Barden, the 4-H community education specialist who led the camp. “It was a cool way to showcase what ANR does and what we have to offer.”
Youth gain wide range of experiences, knowledge
Visits to local farms and ranches – with many chances to greet the animals – were a highlight for many of the camp participants.
“I liked learning about agriculture and the interactive activities,” said a fourth grader. “I saw a baby cow coming out of its mama, and they [farm staff] had to use a tool. It was cool.”
A sixth grader said: “I learned that feed is made up of everyday items, like almond shells and beer hops!”
“Sheep, cows and goats have one stomach and four chambers,” added another sixth grader.
That digestive tidbit was absorbed by the campers after a visit with UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor Dan Macon at Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center, a facility operated by UC ANR in Browns Valley.
“We have 4-H kids and FFA kids in high school who still don't know how the four chambers work!” Barden said. “These kids had it and it was so cool to see that they remembered that from a previous day.”
Time and time again, Barden said she was amazed at how much the campers retained. After a visit to Bullards Bar Reservoir, a seven-year-old was able to explain why the dam is curved. Another young boy could draw his own interpretation of the water cycle. And several campers talked about the rice presentation for weeks.
Whitney Brim-DeForest, UCCE county director for Sutter and Yuba counties and a rice advisor, had the participants touch and feel different rice seeds and varieties. The campers also got to plant a few rice seeds to take home.
“But their favorite part – and what they talked about for the rest of camp – was the tadpole shrimp,” Brim-DeForest said. “We brought some live and preserved specimens, and they loved them!”
Sparking ideas for future careers
One third-grade camper said she enjoyed learning the differences between agricultural pests and beneficial insects.
“And you can do stuff to help the good bugs,” she said, adding that she would like to pursue a career working with animals and nature.
Expanding awareness among young people of new career possibilities was exciting for Ricky Satomi, UCCE forestry and natural resources advisor for Sutter and Yuba counties. Using interactive exercises (such as those developed by California Project Learning Tree, another UC ANR-affiliated program), Satomi shared his knowledge about resource competition, watershed filtration and fire behavior in forest ecosystems.
“It's always a pleasure to introduce students to the natural resources where they live,” Satomi said. “This is particularly critical given the current workforce shortage we face in forestry; I hope their experience at Ag-Venture will spark interest in future forestry careers, where these students can work to better their local forest communities.”
Young people from local colleges and universities also gained invaluable experience during the camp. Four students helped prepare the camp: Yasmeen Castro Guillen (Chico State), Alana Logie (Yuba College), Jayla Pollard (Folsom Lake College) and Adam Yandel (Chico State). Three more helped lead the camp as counselors: Hector Amezcua (Yuba College), Alyssa Nott (Butte College) and Jillian Ruiz (Chico State).
“They did such a fantastic job, mentoring the kids and serving as positive role models, and we have seen tremendous growth in all of them, too – in confidence, skills and knowledge,” said Brim-DeForest.
A true community effort
Barden emphasized that the sweeping scope and in-depth, intertwining lessons of the camp were only possible through broad support from the greater community. Brim-DeForest highlighted the partnership with Yuba City Unified School District, as well as with Sutter County. Camp HQ was in Ettl Hall, a Sutter County building; campers visited the Sutter County Museum; they also met Yuba-Sutter public health officer Dr. Phuong Luu.
Additional collaborators included Melissa Ussery, CalFresh Healthy Living, UC nutrition program supervisor; Rene McCrory, 4-H secretary; Johnny Yang, UC Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver program coordinator; Matt Rodriguez, 4-H youth development advisor; and Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, 4-H youth development advisor.
“Honestly, we could plan all of this, but without the community's support, our program never would have worked smoothly,” said Barden, who grew up in the small town of Sutter. “Having all of our guest speakers, having all the people who were willing to have up to 50 kids on their property – it just shows how much our community is about our youth.”
Brim-DeForest said Sandy Parker, the camp nurse, exemplifies that spirit. A UC Master Gardener and 4-H alumna and volunteer, Parker also invited the campers to her family ranch, where she introduced the children to her farm animals and Great Pyrenees guardian dog.
The campers certainly appreciated the generosity, teamwork and energy that went into Ag-Venture. Barden said that many of the participants originally had only signed up for one or two weeks – but loved the camp so much that they asked to register for more. And she added that the “vast majority” of them said they want Ag-Venture to come back and would attend in the future.
“Our youth are just so resilient and so willing to learn,” Barden said, reflecting on the camp overall. “Whereas adults, we're usually a little more timid at things, these kids just were willing to dive in, head first, and be in that moment and try to take away as much as they could from what they were offered there at camp.”
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