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Join us as we meet Betty Reid Soskin, the inspiring National Park Service (NPS) Ranger who began her NPS career at age 85 and is currently the oldest Ranger.  Based at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park (NHP) in Richmond, California, she is a true inspiration with accolades as an author, entrepreneur, musician, activist and civil rights pioneer. She shares stories and experiences from the war where she worked at a segregated union hall but also her role in planning and launching the NHP.

We encourage you to read her memoir “Sign My Name to Freedom: A Memoir of a Pioneering Life.”  The biggest lesson we took away from meeting Ranger Betty as well as her book was that history is written by the people in the room doing the remembering. She has made it a habit to be in that room but she has taught us that it is important for all of us to be more aware of all strands of our history, not just the physical remnants. In fact, it is most important to seek and learn about the parts of history that are not so apparent.  While we love the beauty of the national parks we visit, we are also as impressed by the history we have learned along the way.  We saw a quote from Betty Reid Soskin that summed this up so perfectly:  “We have created this system of national parks, where it’s possible to revisit almost any era in our history...The heroic places, the scenic wonders, the contemplative places, the shameful places, and the painful places. In order to own that history. Own it, process it, that we may begin to forgive ourselves in order to move into a more compassionate future together.”

As always, we would love your feedback.  Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or message us on our social media accounts: @ExpeditionNationalParks on Facebook and Instagram and @ExpeditionNPS on Twitter.  Thanks to Jason Shaw for the music.  And, as always, follow the inspiration of the Junior Ranger motto - keep exploring, learning, and protecting!

Outdoor Organization feature:

Syatt was founded by a mother and two daughters—TeamHood: Marcia, Erika, and Ebony Hood—with a mission to increase access to outdoor spaces for Black and Brown youth, while simultaneously creating and inspiring joy in places that haven’t traditionally been safe or welcoming to people of color.

Syatt: @syatt_cle on Instagram

Support/donate: https://syattcle.org/support-syatt

Episode Highlights:

00:45 Introduction
01:45 Ranger Betty Reid Soskin introduction
06:45 Richmond Shipyards
09:05 Expansion of Richmond’s population
10:11  Kaiser recruitment in the south
12:30 Port Chicago tragedy
21:24 Role of National Parks
22:48 Outdoor Org Feature
23:58 Work experience during WWII
29:20 Racism and employment discrimination
33:10 Bay Area different than rest of country
34:58 Richmond’s explosive growth
38:12 Great-grandparents’ experience
39:25 Family connections to Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans
40:54 Family impacted by New Orleans floods, bombing of levees
43:31 How social revolution/response to racism evolved
45:00 Constant state of renewal since
45:30 Signoff

Donate to Syatt: https://syattcle.org/support-syatt

Resources/More Information:

No Time to Waste: https://www.notimetowastefilm.com/ (documentary on Betty Reid Soskin)

Her memoir, Sign My Name to Freedom: A Memoir of a Pioneering Life

Spoken-word album: “A Lifetime of Being Betty”

Reference: 

https://www.rei.com/blog/stewardship/betty-reid-soskin