About the Artist:
Annina Wells: Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps, Crew Supervisor
Pronouns: They/them, she/her Annina Wells has spent most of her life in Baltimore, on the ancestral lands of the Piscataway, Susquehannock, and Nentego/Nanticoke peoples. In 2014, Annina began cultivating a deeper reciprocal relationship to the land and to their neighbors through their work as a community organizer and urban farmer/educator. From 2014-2017, Annina worked to facilitate food justice and sovereignty within the city; specifically, working with historically oppressed and marginalized community members to produce free, organic produce in the city’s many food deserts. Following a knee injury and a year of recuperation/rehab, Annina bicycled from San Diego, CA to Huaraz, Peru on a 12,000 mile
self-guided journey; meeting and working alongside campesinos (rural farmers) along the way. During their time with the California Conservation Corps, Annina fell in love with the magic of the Sierra mountain range and the life of a trail worker. Through Eastern Sierra Conservation Corp’s Women in the Wilderness program, Annina was introduced to ESCC. Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps was the perfect amalgamation of experiencing the beauty of living/working in a National Park and the joy of working towards a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. For Annina, it was love at first sight. Annina joined ESCC in 2020, facilitating ESCC’s SEKI-CC program and leading a crew of 6 through a season in Kings Canyon National Park. Out of those six corps members four have continued to work in trails, one of them becoming a trail crew supervisor in her own right. Annina is forever grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a life-changing organization and to witness how ESCC continues to positively impact all who experience the program.
About the Organization:
Our platform of access, engagement, and extension helps break down barriers to outdoor recreation and conservation work. For our participants, we increase access by providing them the training, gear, and skills to recreate and improve trails in the backcountry. Our participants have increased engagement in the natural world, and are encouraged to share their new connections with people in their community. Our programs provide extension by building pathways to careers in conservation and natural resources. We are laying the foundation for a more just and equitable future. Website: http://www.