Culturally Significant Pollinators in Colorado & Beyond with Gemara Gifford

Session Description

To humans, pollinators are important not only because of their ecological and economic contributions, but also because they are regarded as spiritually and culturally significant to many communities. Gemara, a migratory bird scientist and Indigenous scholar, will present some of her ethno-ornithological research in Guatemala, as well as original poetry to offer a cultural perspective of pollinators, rooted in her family’s heritage in Colorado and their symbolism across the Americas.

Speaker Bio

Gemara Gifford (pronounced JEM-uh-ruh) M.S., Ph.D. Candidate, is an Indigenous wildlife scientist with a background in community-based conservation, and rematriation movements in Latin America. Gem draws from her deep roots in Colorado and the Southern Rocky Mountain Region to advocate for environmental justice and Indigenous rights. Gem’s family instilled in her a deep love and responsibility for animals and the environment, and passed on their history as Chicano labor rights organizers from the San Luis Valley and the coal mining camps of Southern Colorado. Gemara is currently pursuing her Doctoral studies at Colorado State University on the pathways and barriers to land rematriation in the Southwestern United States, while also running her small business, Mending Mountains Collective LLC, where she offers services as a facilitator and consultant. On a personal note, Gem is a musician, creative writer, and ceramic artist and lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband and many critters.