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Blog

Women in Cleantech & Sustainability talks

12/11/2017

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Written by Nidia Trejo

It was an amazing experience to give a TED-style talk with Women in Clean Tech & Sustainability Talks (WCS Talks) at Google. These talks are held once a year, and among a super supportive community of women (and men). I met the founder of Women in Cleantech & Sustainability, Lisa Ann Pinkerton, when she was invited to give a talk at a start-up incubator in Ithaca New York early 2017. She spoke about how important it is for women to share their unique perspectives in public spaces. Because in doing so, it can inspire other women to speak up, and help lead a path toward a greater number of women leaders.
(http://www.womencleantechsustainability.org/) 

I submitted my speaker application on the concept of Social & Environmental Responsibility in Fashion. For 7 months, I was trying to figure out how to make it unique. Being an active member of the Latinas In STEM Foundation, the Climate Reality Project, and learning about the United Nations - Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 really helped me shape my story. I shared the story of my grandmother coming to the US from El Salvador to sew clothing, and how she inspired me to make fashion collections. I showed pictures of clothes I made and dyed with natural and synthetic colorants to express sustainable opportunities. I proposed solutions to making safer chemicals, preserving water as a natural resource, and empowerment of makers in the supply chain for innovation framed around the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 
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Nidia Trejo on stage at WCS Talks 2017.
​The audience was 200+ mainly from private companies, non profits, and students. I was one of the youngest speakers! I was surprised that many of the audience members were very interested in learning more about what I'm doing in sustainable fashion, and seem really eager to help. From the audience members, I learned that NASA Ames is working on water recycling projects for their space travel, and Levi Strauss & Co gave me invaluable advice on several of my ideas. 

Women in Cleantech & Sustainability has already posted the 2018 Speaker Submission application. I hope the Latinas in STEM community submits applications to speak, and I’ll share mine once it is available on YouTube.  
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Lineup of speakers, right to left. Kate Brandt (Lead for Sustainability at Google), Kenetia Lee (Beauty Activist & Author of Fearless Beauty 360°), Nidia Trejo (Sustainability Advocate, United Nations Development Program), Mona Maitra (VP of Silicon Valley Bank).
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Reflecting on Latinas In STEM STEM 101 Conference in San Leandro, CA

7/5/2017

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​With great enthusiasm, I participated in my first Latinas In STEM - STEM 101 conference, Sept 2016. I flew from New York to California eager to meet middle school students, college members, and fellow board members.

Along with members from New Jersey, Dayrene Martinez and Maria Hernandez, and Director of K-12 Programming 2016, Maribel Mendoza, we prepared the Bristol Bot activities and racing competition when we arrived. During the conference, I presented in Spanish for the first time to a room full of note-taking parents. I talked about my educational journey and STEM careers. Other talks throughout the day in the room were on financial aid and a student’s experience at NASA. The parents were very kind and curious about each presentation. They reminded me of my parents, who were in their shoes years ago.  
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Photobooth picture with Latinas In STEM members.
***
My educational journey is greatly shaped by the persistence of my parents:
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My mom asked if I was interested in going to college when I was just eleven years old. I hadn’t thought about it before. Though, I knew education was valuable since she was a part-time college student, and worked full-time. My dad was also very supportive on education. He insisted I call my older cousins to ask for help on my math homework. I would sit for hours trying to explain my math problems over the phone.
I attended, unusually, nine different schools in Los Angeles before graduating high school. My mom made a lot of effort to get me in private, public, and magnet schools as she navigated the various school options in the US as the school system was quite different from the system she was familiar with in El Salvador. She also took me to her college classes and the libraries on the weekends when my dad had to work. I liked to read and listen to the professor’s topics, so I didn’t mind. My dad also made great effort to accommodate his work hours as a tile setter, to drop or pick me up from the schools. Eventually letting me take the school bus for an hour commute to the high school that promised to prepare me for college entry, Downtown Magnets High School, and was open-minded about my extra-curricular activities.

Along with my twin sister, I was the first in my family to attend college far away from home. My parents were very worried about this, but they knew I really wanted to go to UC Davis and Cornell University. They are always encouraging, and I am very thankful for them.

**
At the STEM 101 conference, I learned that each of us as Latinas, have unique paths into college and sharing stories is a great way to unite us for success. I have had many many failures along my educational path, but my parents have instilled great hope and optimism in me that surpasses the downfalls. Although we may encounter different barriers to college education, these experiences give us strength to get through the toughest situations. They shape our way of being, and can empower us to innovate and better our communities as Latinas in the STEM.
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Free Webinar: Science meets Cosmetics

10/17/2016

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Learn the chemistry behind natural cosmetic products with Richard Blackburn, associate professor at University of Leeds and founder of Keracol Limited, and Nidia Trejo of the Ithaca Waste Water Treatment Facility  on Thursday, October 20 at 2pm ET.   Nidia is also Director of College of Programming for the Latinas in STEM Foundation.
Register
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Become a supporter of Latinas in STEM’s mission to inspire and empower Latinas to pursue, thrive, and advance in STEM fields. 
Your generous donation will help support our efforts to reach Latinas nationwide via programming, workshops, and events.  
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Latinas in STEM is a Project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a registered public charity, which provides non-profit status.
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