This spring, as wildflowers bloomed across Máyyan ‘Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve, Ridge Trail staff set out on the trail with an exceptional group of visitors. Youth from the Teen Tech Center (TTC) at Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA) arrived to document the preserve through an innovative media project.
The TTC, a free San José arts education program serving youth ages 11-19, partnered with Ridge Trail staff to create three videos showcasing the preserve. Funded by a Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (the Authority) grant, the project aimed to make open spaces more accessible to diverse communities through digital storytelling.
The students’ motivation was deeply personal. As TTC student Natalia explained, “There have been times where I have wanted to visit a park or trail but was anxious because there wasn’t much information about what to expect. I wanted to create a virtual reality video to help people like myself who experience anxiety when going to new places and for people with other abilities that would benefit from an in depth video of a trail.”
The three videos each serve distinct purposes. The first explores Máyyan ‘Ooyákma’s biology, geology, and cultural significance while educating visitors on preserving its biodiversity. The second documents the filming day, capturing the students’ perspectives and their connection with the preserve’s beauty. The third offers an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience, best viewed with a VR headset.
This collaboration furthers the Ridge Trail Council’s mission through the Authority’s Urban Open Space grant program to broaden access for historically underrepresented communities within the Authority’s jurisdiction. While the Council hosts outings with partners like Latino Outdoors and Saved By Nature, these events can only reach so many people. The videos transcend those constraints, offering the preserve’s benefits—physical health, mental wellbeing, and connection to nature—to those who face barriers to visiting in person.
When asked if there was anything they’d like others to take away when viewing the videos and the VR experience, TTC student Cammie expressed,”I would like people to focus on the beauty and relaxing feeling provided by nature and really appreciate what mother nature has given us.”
The Ridge Trail Council thanks MACLA’s Teen Tech Center students for their remarkable work and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority for making this project possible.
Check out the videos below to experience the beauty of Máyyan ‘Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve!
VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE
EXPLORE & LEARN ABOUT MÁYYAN ‘OOYÁKMA
BTS – FILMING DAY AT MÁYYAN ‘OOYÁKMA
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