Izakhi Zomhlaba

Ngiwazwile amandla. Amandla amanzi ayangiphakamisa, angiphushe, angidonse, anginyakaze, angithathe ngiyofika lapho iso libona khona. Ukuthatheka kwami ​​nothando lwami ngolwandle kugxile kakhulu esikhathini engasichitha ngijabulela iGulf of Mexico eSouth Padre Island ngiseyingane. Ngangibhukuda kuze kube seqophelweni lokukhathala futhi lapho ngigibela ngibuyela ekhaya ngangingakwazi ukuzibamba ngimamatheke futhi ngizicabange, “Angisakwazi ukulinda ukwenza lokho futhi.”

Ngaqhubeka ngafunda ukuntweza kanye ne-kayak esiqhingini, lapho ngangizohlonipha khona uMama Wemvelo ngokudansa ezihlabathini zakhe ezikhazimulayo, ngigibele amagagasi anikezwa amandla omoya kanye nokuphakama kancane kancane kogu. Naphezu kokuba ngedwa okunokuthula engangivame ukuba nakho lapho ngisemanzini, iqiniso lokuthi ngangingedwa alizange lingilahlekele. Izilwane zasolwandle nezinyoni zasogwini zaziyingxenye yolwandle njengamanzi nesihlabathi. Angigcinanga ngokubona lezi zidalwa, ngangizizwa zingizungezile ngenkathi ngihamba nge-kayaking, ngintweza futhi ngibhukuda. Lesi simiso semvelo esihle besingeke siphelele ngaphandle kwabo, futhi ukuba khona kwabo kwajulisa uthando lwami nokwesaba ulwandle.  

Uthando lwami lwangaphakathi nolukhulayo lwemvelo nezilwane zasendle lungiholela ekuphishekeleni izifundo zesayensi, ngigxile kakhulu kwiSayensi Yezemvelo. Ngenkathi ngiseNyuvesi yaseTexas eBrownsville, ngasebenza kanye nososayensi noprofesa benza ucwaningo ngakho konke kusukela eqophelweni lamanzi kuya ekuhlonzweni kwenhlabathi kanye nezitshalo ngasemhosheni nangaphakathi kwamachibi e-oxbow eBrownsville, eTexas okubizwa ngokuthi, “Resacas.” Ngiphinde ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza njengoMxhumanisi we-Campus Greenhouse Coordinator lapho nganginomthwalo wemfanelo wokugcina iMihlume Emnyama inempilo eyabe isitshalwa kabusha ngaseGulf of Mexico. 
Njengamanje, umsebenzi wami wosuku ungiletha emhlabeni wobudlelwano bomphakathi osebenza kanye nezinkampani kanye namakhasimende asekelwe kunqubomgomo yomphakathi. Nginelungelo lokuhlanganyela nabaholi bezwe beLatino ekudaleni amathuba avula izindlela ukuze umphakathi waseLatino uxhumeke kwelinye lamathuluzi adingeka kakhulu ekhulwini lama-21, i-inthanethi. 

Ngihlala ngixhumene nenhlangano yezemvelo neyokongiwa kwemvelo ngomsebenzi wami wokuzithandela ne-Latino Outdoors lapho ngisebenza khona njengoMxhumanisi we-DC. Njengomxhumanisi, ngisebenzela ukuthuthukisa ubambiswano oluzothuthukisa ukuqwashisa nokuzibandakanya komphakathi wendawo waseLatino ngamathuba okuzijabulisa angaphandle. Ngemisebenzi yangaphandle ejabulisayo efana ne-kayaking, ukugibela izigwedlo, ukugibela ibhayisikili, ukugibela izintaba nokugibela izinyoni, sibeka isisekelo sokusebenzelana komphakathi wethu okuzinzile nokubalulekile noMama Wendalo. Kuleli hlobo nasekwindla, sizoqhubeka nokusebenza nezinhlangano ezingenzi nzuzo zasendaweni ekuhlanzeni imifula. Sisekele ukuhlanzwa emfuleni i-Anacostia kanye ne-Potomac okuye kwasiza ekususeni amathani angaphezu kuka-2 kadoti kulo nyaka. Kulo nyaka siqale ukusebenza ngemicimbi yezemfundo eletha ochwepheshe be-Latino biodiversity ukuthi bafundise izifundo ezimfushane ngezihlahla kanye ne-ecosystem yendawo. Ikilasi lilandelwa uhambo olufundisayo e-NPS: Rock Creek Park.

Ngibheke ngabomvu ukusebenza njengeLungu Lebhodi Lokweluleka ne-The Ocean Foundation, futhi ngenze ingxenye yami ukusekela umgomo wokuhlehlisa inkambiso yokucekelwa phansi kwezilwandle zethu kanye nokukhuthaza imvelo yasolwandle enempilo.