I’m in New Mexico for the UNM AISA 2026 conference, and the first thing that caught my eye was the Sandia Mountains rising to the east. There’s something about these landscapes that makes you pause and reflect on the delicate balance between humans and nature—a balance I’ve been contemplating a lot in my research.

My paper explores indigenous knowledge and how it helps communities handle human-wildlife conflict. I’ve been especially interested in the stories and practices of the Igbo people and some Kenyan communities, which serve as windows into ways of living thoughtfully with the natural world. Writing about these traditions has reminded me that knowledge isn’t only found in books—it’s lived, passed down, and deeply connected to the land.

Being here, surrounded by these activists, scholars, mountains, and open skies, helps me see the same patterns of connection across continents. The lessons from African communities suddenly feel alive in New Mexico: listening, observing, respecting the world we share. Presenting this work reminds me of why indigenous knowledge matters—and how much it can teach us about caring for the land and each other.

View the conference program here.