Crystal Barillas shares about her family’s deep connection with visiting national parks and her love of nature.
My family’s love for parks started before I was even born. I am the daughter of two immigrant parents from El Salvador, who individually and together found solace in national parks. In the 1970s, my father immigrated as a child — alone. To him, America was a fresh start from the hardships back home. Immigrant status, however, came with its own set of challenges — the biggest being racism. In 1984, like many others, my mother and her family immigrated from El Salvador at the height of civil unrest. Along with her parents, she longed for home and the beauty of nature.
Trying to find a sense of belonging, my parents found each other, and together found solace in Yosemite National Park. Since then, not a year has gone by without a visit to a park (national and tribal) in the Southwest. I grew up watching my parents not only navigate highways, but also navigate how to build a new life. National parks were our refuge from the chaos and from the hustle. They also symbolized peace and belonging.
My love for parks brought me to the Presidio, which combined my passions for history and art. Working as a park guide for the field station, I get to help visitors understand the park around them through art and nature. Here, a person can get back to the basics of feeling the warmth of sunshine on their face, the admiration of nature that comes with the observation of a flower, and the connection to something bigger than themselves.
Caring for oneself and others is a byproduct of being present in places like this. I encourage everyone to visit national parks like the Presidio, if not for the nature or history, then for one’s mental health. My mom first visited the Presidio in 1984 and seeing it brought her pure joy. Between my family’s connection with national parks and a love of nature, I feel lucky to have started my career here. With a Perspective, I’m Crystal Barillas.