Jessica Hernandez is a Maya Ch'orti and Binnizá-Zapotec Indigenous environmental scientist, activist, author, who held a postdoctoral research fellowship and taught at the University of Washington, primarily in environmental science, and is currently affiliated with South Seattle College as of 2024.[1][2] She held a postdoctoral research fellowship position at the University of Washington beginning in 2021 and has taught at the university, including serving as an instructor and postdoctoral fellow, teaching climate science in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences in 2021, and was a postdoctoral fellow who taught at the University of Washington Bothell.[2][5] Her interdisciplinary academic background spans marine sciences, environmental physics, and forestry, reflecting her commitment to holistic understanding of environmental systems. Hernandez has held significant appointments with Sustainable Seattle, the City of Seattle's Urban Forestry Commission, and the International Mayan League, demonstrating her dedication to practical community engagement alongside academic work. Her foundation in Indigenous epistemologies, rooted in her family's ancestral knowledge, has shaped her distinctive approach to environmental science and conservation.
Dr. Hernandez's groundbreaking book Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science, published in January 2022, has redefined conservation discourse by centering Indigenous Latin American women's perspectives and knowledge systems. Through this work, she effectively critiques Western conservation models while offering Indigenous alternatives grounded in centuries of environmental stewardship and relationship-building with the land. Her research demonstrates how Indigenous sciences have survived colonialism and can provide vital solutions to contemporary environmental challenges, particularly in contexts of climate change and biodiversity loss. Hernandez has pioneered educational outreach that transforms how environmental science is taught, incorporating Indigenous teaching methods for high school teachers and implementing restoration projects that honor traditional ecological knowledge. Her scholarship has been widely recognized, earning the prestigious Bruce Piasecki and Andrea Masters Award on Business and Society Writing and Forbes designation as one of Central America's 100 most powerful women.
Beyond her academic contributions, Dr. Hernandez founded Piña Soul, SPC, an Indigenous-led social purpose corporation dedicated to advancing climate justice and mutual aid for transnational Indigenous women and youth. She actively contributes to the Loka Initiative, an organization centering Indigenous voices in environmental discourse and policy, demonstrating her commitment to collective action and community empowerment. Hernandez regularly engages with policymakers and practitioners to ensure Indigenous knowledge systems inform climate solutions and environmental decision-making at multiple scales. Her ongoing research explores the colonial roots of climate catastrophe while developing Indigenous-led frameworks for restoration and resilience, with her upcoming book Growing Papaya Trees promising to further advance this critical dialogue. Through her transformative work, Dr. Hernandez continues to reshape environmental science by elevating Indigenous epistemologies and creating pathways toward more just and sustainable relationships with the natural world.
