Zine
During my residency in Joshua Tree National Park, I collaborated with fourth grade students from Yucca Mesa Elementary School. Together with park rangers, we took a field trip to Hidden Valley within the park. Following our visit, I interviewed the students about their experiences and impressions of the park. Their candid responses, incorporated into a risograph-printed zine, ranged from expressions of wonder and humor to more somber reflections on the park’s future. The zine’s title comes from one student’s response to the question, “How did being in the park make you feel?” She answered, “It made me feel nice not being on the internet because I could finally have a break and be in the wildlife.” The photographs in the zine were made during the journey to Hidden Valley and throughout the field trip itself. I altered select images to reflect both my own observations and the perspectives of the students. This project seeks to highlight the ecological significance and magic of Joshua Tree National Park while elevating the insightful voices of its future stewards.