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Just a few of many audience
questions for Mike
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Michael Rizo is an Urban and Community Program Specialist in the Office of International Programs of the US Forest Service. Mr. Rizo talked about his work in partnership with El Valor Children and Youth Services engaging Little Village families in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly via cultural associations as well as ecological ones.
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Questions about Connecting the Program to School, Career, and the Environmental Movement
- How can we use traditional community organizing skills (e.g., Civil Rights) in our conservation efforts?
- What happens that the kids and parents lose interest (or--what percentage do stay with their interest and engagement in the program's concepts and activities as they get older)?
- How do you extend the personal and cultural interest and the symbols into professional and scientific interest?
- How do you turn the magic of the monarch into conservation as a lifestyle/worldview?
- How can this be an example for teachers and other school-based personnel for respectful, productive partnerships with parents and communities?
- Do you try to tie in some education on the scientific method, at least in simple form?
- Do you include messages about threats to monarchs--habitat loss and climate change?
Questions about Outreach to Current and Future Communities
- Do you have "sister" schools/families in Michoacan? Is the exchange of ideas impacted by immigration issues? Is the exchange of people (e.g., visitors to each site) impacted by those issues?
- Perhaps your young expert leaders could go to other communities and teach? (And do you have them get involved in policy, such as connecting them to Mikva?)
- How do you connect to busy families? How do you translate to other communities?
- How did you know going for the parents was the right unit to work with for monarchs?
- How do you identify which communities can reconnect with nature, and how to reach those specific communities?
- How do you build relationships with those who may be different than you?
Questions about Program Content and Logistics
- What if the caterpillars die?!?!
- Knowing that rearing monarchs is a great activity, how do you tackle the issue of big ag's impact on monarchs?
- Where do we get the eggs/larvae to raise at home?
- We live in Pilsen now and have young kids--how can we get involved? How can we help?
- Are there picture/early reader books that relate or help?
- What are the bookends--the kickoff and the finale--Day of the Child and Day of the Dead? Do you supply eggs or do they find?
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