Connecting to Local Community
Meet Leslie Parra, who has forged strong connections to community and her neighborhood, which provide much satisfaction and joy in her life. Her story demonstrates how personal commitment combined with nearby community spaces make these enriching connections possible. This post is part of Profiles in Living Connected to Place, a series by Matt Biggar, Ph.D., that portrays individuals living connected to place with intention and the support of systems that make it possible. Prior posts can be found here.
Leslie Parra lives in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco. She is the Outreach Program Manager at Save the Redwoods League, where she connects communities to the awe and beauty of redwood and sequoia trees. When not at work, Leslie spends much of her time volunteering and staying connected to what’s happening in her neighborhood.
At the age of seven, Leslie moved with her family from Ecuador to Charlotte, North Carolina. She remembers being the only South American family in her community and one of a few Latinx families in the region. School to her was a “sink or swim” environment in which she had to quickly adapt to English-only instruction.
Leslie persevered and attended North Carolina State, where she majored in molecular biology and then worked at a pathology lab at Duke University. She then moved to San Francisco to pursue her master's in conservation biology.
Leslie felt like an outsider in science education, keenly aware of the lack of racial and ethnic diversity and wondered, “Where are the rest of us?” Increasing diversity in science and empowering other Latinx people to reach their full potential became her passion.
Her graduate research involved studying the Giant kangaroo rat, a species that lives closely together in extended families and sends signals to one another to warn of predators. The sense of community among kangaroo rats was stronger than what Leslie felt in the science community as a Latina. Participating in and improving community became a focal part of her life.
Leslie committed to helping build community in her city and neighborhood through her work. She led science-based community programs at the Mission Science Workshop for six years. Leslie then worked in the bilingual department at the Women’s Initiative, supporting low-income women in starting their own businesses in the Mission. At another organization, she connected schools in San Francisco to nearby public gardens, strengthening connections between schools and communities.
In her neighborhood, Leslie is active based on her belief that “being connected to place is knowing my neighbors.” She participates in a neighborhood group that meets periodically to discuss challenges and act together. Leslie takes part in celebrations and events in her community, including concerts at the Mission Cultural Center. She enjoys the free neighborhood market at Parque de Los Ninos on the weekends, where residents bring produce they grow and share with others. Leslie walks with her dog in her neighborhood, taking pictures of the changing flora and art displays. She regularly reads Mission Local, the neighborhood newspaper, and keeps track of what community-based organizations are doing.
Leslie feels a deep sense of satisfaction and joy from her community connections and strong attachment to her neighborhood. Having a system of local community spaces makes it possible. Her relationship with local community forms a virtuous cycle in which she benefits, and the community is made better by her active involvement.