The Department of Bioregion is proud to include Aaron Carasco in the Diplomat Corps as an Attaché of Education. Aaron is a life-long Cascadian, born in Oregon and currently living in Seattle. He is a Mentor Teacher in the field of Early Childhood Education.
Growing up in Cascadia instilled in Aaron a strong love of nature and the bioregion. When asked how being Oregonian has informed his Cascadian perspective, Aaron says, “To me, Oregon represents my identity as a child, because I lived there from when I was born until I moved to Washington as an adult. As such, I view Oregon as my Cascadian foundation: a platform upon which I stand that has fostered my love and respect for this watershed and this earth. I would not be a Cascadian diplomat without my Oregon roots.”
As an early childhood educator, Aaron believes that bioregionalism and Cascadian ideals are integral to education. “Children are naturally interested in the Earth,” he says. “They’re trying to figure out how the whole world works around them. If we spend time talking about how the Earth works, they’re going to become natural stewards of the land. If we want to ensure the Earth is livable by the time [our generation is] gone, I think we do this by helping children form a relationship with the place where they are.” Aaron is passionate about place-based education and indigenizing learning, working closely with other educators to create fun, informative learning resources about bioregionalism, land stewardship, and Cascadian culture.
“Being able to change my mindset from geo-political to bioregional has allowed my brain, my soul, my heart, and my whole spirit to grow like a tree,” Aaron explains. “I feel like I’m connecting with the world through a whole new lens. In education, we think about lenses all the time; we think about how teachers use a lens to see things, how children use a lens to see things, and how families use a lens to see as well. That’s why bioregionalism excites me: it’s given me a whole lens through which to see the world.”
We’re excited to have Aaron join the Department of Bioregion team and look forward to supporting his efforts in early education. If you’d like to contact Aaron, you can do so through his Diplomat Biography or by connecting with him during Fremont Solstice while participating in our Cascadia-themed, body painted bike block (find more info about that event here).
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