Last updated: February 10, 2023
Article
Staff Spotlight: Precious Vicente
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Meet Precious Vicente, a Park Ranger at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument!
Before joining a conservation corps, I didn’t have a clear direction for what I wanted to do with my life. After graduating high school in 2017, I went to Northern Arizona University (NAU), where I was majoring in Criminal Justice and Applied Indigenous Studies. I didn’t continue after my first year because it wasn’t something I was truly passionate about. In my heart, I was passionate about learning my O’odham culture and history. I missed being in my own community. After my time at NAU, I took on odd jobs close to home so I could work and still have time to fulfill my cultural obligations. I worked at Staples as a Sales Associate for about a year, then moved onto working for our Gila River Hotel and Casinos. I worked at Lone Butte and Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casinos as a barback and security over the span of three years. From there, I went on to FedEx, where I spent my summer in a 110-degree warehouse, shipping out packages. After about four years of building up security, bartending, and package handling experience…I was unemployed. I stopped working to help my family who was going through several challenges.
Being left with no job and no source of income, I began to settle and didn’t think my life was going anywhere. Then the Gila River Indian Community Facebook page posted a flier from our partner American Conservation Experience (ACE). ACE was looking for interns at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Having no knowledge of ACE or the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP), I decided to put in an application anyway. I then met Bianca Wahkinney, who was our liaison through the TTAP program. Bianca, an Indigenous woman herself who had experience in conservation, explained the importance of having more Indigenous people involved in these programs. This conversation sparked interest in me joining a conservation corps, and I became a TTAP member through ACE.One of the unique opportunities I had was being able to work on a historic adobe wall within the park. Even though it wasn’t prehistoric it was a great learning experience being able to learn how to make Adobe bricks and how to install them. Following TTAP, I participated in a 3-month internship with Conservation Legacy as a Cultural Resource Intern. I worked alongside National Park Service rangers to give educational programs to the public and build tribal connections. After completing my term with Conservation Legacy and receiving the AmeriCorps Education Award, I accepted a position with the National Park Service as a Park Ranger at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
How did you find yourself at NPS?
Before joining a conservation corps, I didn’t have a clear direction for what I wanted to do with my life. After graduating high school in 2017, I went to Northern Arizona University (NAU), where I was majoring in Criminal Justice and Applied Indigenous Studies. I didn’t continue after my first year because it wasn’t something I was truly passionate about. In my heart, I was passionate about learning my O’odham culture and history. I missed being in my own community. After my time at NAU, I took on odd jobs close to home so I could work and still have time to fulfill my cultural obligations. I worked at Staples as a Sales Associate for about a year, then moved onto working for our Gila River Hotel and Casinos. I worked at Lone Butte and Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casinos as a barback and security over the span of three years. From there, I went on to FedEx, where I spent my summer in a 110-degree warehouse, shipping out packages. After about four years of building up security, bartending, and package handling experience…I was unemployed. I stopped working to help my family who was going through several challenges.
What internship opportunities have you participated in with NPS?
Being left with no job and no source of income, I began to settle and didn’t think my life was going anywhere. Then the Gila River Indian Community Facebook page posted a flier from our partner American Conservation Experience (ACE). ACE was looking for interns at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Having no knowledge of ACE or the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP), I decided to put in an application anyway. I then met Bianca Wahkinney, who was our liaison through the TTAP program. Bianca, an Indigenous woman herself who had experience in conservation, explained the importance of having more Indigenous people involved in these programs. This conversation sparked interest in me joining a conservation corps, and I became a TTAP member through ACE.One of the unique opportunities I had was being able to work on a historic adobe wall within the park. Even though it wasn’t prehistoric it was a great learning experience being able to learn how to make Adobe bricks and how to install them. Following TTAP, I participated in a 3-month internship with Conservation Legacy as a Cultural Resource Intern. I worked alongside National Park Service rangers to give educational programs to the public and build tribal connections. After completing my term with Conservation Legacy and receiving the AmeriCorps Education Award, I accepted a position with the National Park Service as a Park Ranger at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
NPS Photo
What do you do for the NPS?
I am a Park Ranger at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and serve as a cultural resource for the staff as well as the public. I support visitor center operations, give educational programs, and perform public outreach. Outreach includes giving presentation trainings for park staff and volunteers. I recently gave a presentation during Native American Heritage month, which highlighted Indigenous O’odham presenting their perspective of O’odham history. This was unique because all the speakers had some sort of relation to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, which gave a tribal perspective to the visitors. My presentation was about O’odham food, particularly Baidaj, which is a bright red fruit that you find at the top of Saguaros. I talked about the cultural significance of this fruit as well as the controversial opinions of this fruit. It felt great to be presenting about a topic that is relevant to my community and teaching the public about these resilient minds.Working with NPS has opened many opportunities so that I can advance in my career. One of my major accomplishments since starting in this field of work is being selected for Corpsmember of the Year 2023. I will be attending the National Corps Network Conference in Washington D.C with four other selected individuals. I now can meet and network with others who share the same passion as I do, as well as travel to places I've never been.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
What I find most rewarding about my job is when I see a school group coming from my own community in Gila River that is interested in learning about our ancestral sites. When I talk about our history of what our people created, like pottery, clothes, and multi-structured buildings, the kids are in fascination of how resilient we remained through time. I also can deepen my own knowledge by talking with park staff and volunteers about the site itself. At Casa Grande National Monument, we have a lot of “what ifs.” Nothing is set in stone, so it gives me a chance to engage with the people and the resources to learn about my culture.
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What does it mean to you to represent your community?
When I started my internship at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, it was a lot of pressure being an Indigenous person working for the government, while also trying to consult with tribal partners. I’ve learned that not everybody may agree with my current position, but I ultimately do it for the younger generation. I would like youth to see me and see a representation of themselves, which is not always evident within our national parks.Even though there might be some challenges with the work I do, ultimately, it’s done for the people. Change isn’t going to happen by staying stagnant in one place. It’s up to us as the younger generation to explore and obtain knowledge so that we can bring it back to our communities.
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What advice do you have for youth and young adults thinking about a career at NPS?
Working for the National Park Service has opened so many doorways and opportunities to grow and network with other professionals. It’s all about stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on different challenges because you never know who you’re going to meet along the way.
What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy working on traditional arts and crafts in my free time. I love making O’odham style rattles called shavkuds. Shavkuds are instruments used to sing within our O’odham culture. I enjoy singing and it helps me to learn my language every day. I also enjoy painting on canvas and woodburning on gourds to make intricate designs.