“Why here?” This deceptively simple question serves as both a compass and driver of curiosity for geographer Empress Holliday, one of Preserving Legacies’ climate custodians for the Tijuana Estuary. To begin answering it, especially for a place as ecologically and culturally rich as this wetland straddling the US-Mexico border, Empress moves beyond maps and models. She steps into the field to learn and honor the layers of history, culture, and environment that shape this dynamic landscape. 

Raised in the San Diego area community she now serves, Empress has always felt a deep connection to the region’s cultural and natural diversity. Whether walking her dog along its beaches and bays or engaging with local communities on both sides of the border, her relationship with the land and its people is deeply personal. “I’ve always known firsthand how colorful and diverse it is,” she reflects. Her commitment to preserving it has only grown as climate change increasingly threatens this delicate tapestry. “I became more interested in preserving elements of it as I got older and began to understand how we might lose some of them. Over the last few years, this effort has significantly increased.”

With sea level rise and intensifying storms impacting the biodiversity and ways of life that rely on a healthy estuary, her work to safeguard this site is urgent. In her current role at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TENERR) and through her involvement with Preserving Legacies, she engages in everything from estuarine ecology to environmental justice. She thrives off this dynamic nature of her work, “It allows me the flexibility to dive into various fields of studies, to travel and work with different communities to better understand different perspectives, and that is very special.” ‍

Weaving together scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge, she collaborates with communities to enhance climate literacy and assess how climate change is affecting every aspect of the estuary. Pairing personal experiences with scientific data can be a powerful way to accomplish this. Empress recalls her own first memory of climate change, “As a young teenager during Halloween I remember one year how warm it was, compared to the vivid memories from my childhood of having to wear a jacket over my costumes.” This intimate observation reminds us that everyone carries a story about climate change, we just need to connect those experiences to the bigger picture.

Not only does Empress engage and assess, she also collaborates with communities and stakeholders, both Tribal and non-Tribal, to develop and enact locally-led climate solutions. Importantly, she notes that the estuary itself is not just at risk from climate change, it is part of the solution! 

“Estuaries are valuable to the planet in many ways that they may not realize. They act as nurseries for juvenile marine species (many of which humans depend on as a resource), they sequester and they store carbon dioxide more efficiently than terrestrial ecosystems. So not only do they have a local impact, they have global impact!”

Looking ahead, it’s the next generation that gives her the most hope. “The young leaders that come to visit and want to learn more!” Their energy and curiosity inspire her and signal a bright future for the estuary and the wider community. For those wondering how to support climate resilience and heritage in their own hometowns, she offers, “Engage with your community whenever you can to support local efforts and get a better understanding of what is valuable to others—then share it! Social media can be a powerful tool to educate ourselves and others about what we value.”

In the end, Empress reminds us that “Why here?” isn’t just a question about place—it’s an invitation to connect, protect, and celebrate the unique stories and solutions each place holds. For the Tijuana Estuary, and for all the places we call home, the answer begins with caring enough to ask.