Community Scientist Interview: Jennifer
Jordan: Hi Jenny! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and why you were interested in joining this project?
Jenny: My name is Jenny, my pronouns are she/her. I was really interested in joining the cohort because I wanted to learn more about soil remediation, especially having some background in composting. And for my own interest to take action into my own hands and learn how to remediate my own soil felt like a very powerful thing. And to have the resources, the information and the people to support me in pursuing this project.
“To take action into my own hands and learn how to remediate my own soil felt like a very powerful thing.”
Jordan: Awesome, can you share a bit more about your experience with composting?
Jenny: I was a compost technician and organic waste sorter for 301 Organics, a business that worked with the Rose Bowl to divert organic waste from landfills during events. I learned from this experience about the importance of educating people about sustainability, climate change, and how composting food and green waste can help alleviate some ecological disasters. Also, as an avid gardener and advocate for planting California natives I have learned a lot about California’s biodiversity, ecology and plant life.
“I learned from this experience about the importance of educating people about sustainability, climate change, and how composting food and green waste can help alleviate some ecological disasters.”
Jordan: What are some of your personal questions you hope to have answered through this project?
Jenny: One of the things that comes to mind is how can people advocate for themselves or for their community that is affected by some sort of environmental injustice. Especially having limited resources and how they could navigate that. I know across the country there's so many different types of environmental injustices that are going on especially within communities of color and lack of funding. I find that really interesting how people can further advocate for themselves and the community that they live in. I’m looking forward to receiving our results at the end of the project to see how effective zeolite is when removing lead from the soil.
“People advocate for themselves or for their community that is affected by some sort of environmental injustice.”
Jordan Salcido
Communications and Community building
Jordan Salcido (she / her) is a multidisciplinary community organizer based in the Los Angeles area. Through a number of projects, she supports efforts to advance environmental justice and amplify community needs and priorities. She greatly believes in the power of storytelling and seeks to shine a light on community stories of strength and resilience. As a California naturalist, Jordan enjoys learning about the land and its plants, animals and people.
Jennifer Payan
Community Scientist
Jennifer Payan is a recent graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles, and majored in Art History. She is an Art Associate: Exhibitions at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery and a Temporary Assistant Registrar, Loans and Exhibitions at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. She has interned at the Vincent Price Art Museum, Self Help Graphics & Art, UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, Artbook at Hauser & Wirth, Distributed Art Publishers Showroom, Elliott Hundley Art Studio, and Visual Communications. Her experiences in the arts and organic waste management have taught her the value of advocating for sustainable practices and fostering education by creating access to green spaces and the visual arts.
