Episode #86 of the Ground Shots Podcast is a conversation with Samuel Bautista Lazo and Damián Jiménez Martínez out of Teotitlan de Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico
Damien’s bio:
I am from the Zapotec community of Teotitlán del Valle, where I currently live and develop most of the projects that I explain below.
Graduated from the Faculty of Law of the National Autonomous University of Mexico where I studied law specializing in the environmental air, I am currently in the process of graduation in the Thesis modality with the theme: Challenges and Perspectives of the incorporation of the concept of Biocultural Heritage in the LGEEPA to direct the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of indigenous communities and the population.
In recent years I have developed and participated in various projects with an environmental nature in my community, the most recent being my link with the University of Chicago in the workshop "Biodiversity of Color" where I learned the technical process of the botanical description and the extraction of information through the DNA of plants that the community has implemented in the dyeing of fibers, since my community is mainly dedicated to the weaving of wool mats.
The development of projects in community and in collaboration is something fundamental for me, because it has helped me to connect more with my community and to achieve supportive relationships with various subjects, so much so that in my project called "Community Gardens" in order to beautify our public spaces with native flora, being the first place intervened the planters of the Municipal Market where we have this pollinator garden.
One of my great commitments as a university student is to share the knowledge I am acquiring in my training with the community, in 2023 I started my radio program called "La Semilla Jurídica" where I discuss and analyze environmental issues from a legal and social perspective, this program is broadcast on the community radio Tseé Xigie "La Voz de Teotitlán".
This year, 2025, I was appointed Director of the Reforestation Center of Teotitlán del Valle, this is transcendental because in the community it is managed in a system of community positions of ladder, and this being an administrative position was reserved for older people with previous positions, but in order to provide a new perspective the community decided to grant me this enormous responsibility.
Samuel’s bio:
Samuel is Benizaa (Zapotec) and lives Xiguie'a (Teotitlán del Valle), located in the Central Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. Samuel, his family and community come from a long line of weavers and farmers who have been tending the same land for thousands of years. This region is considered one of the cradles of civilization. Samuel has a Ph.d. in Sustainable Manufacturing from the University of Liverpool.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk about:
the biodiversity of agaves, some of the issues with cultivation under pressure of capitalism, and private land ownership
complexity of the commons in Oaxaca under pressure of modernity
agave use for textiles, wild and rare species, and benefit of planting in polycultures
we speak to ideas about wild tending in Oaxaca and the issues that come up when trying to reintegrate old ways of tending land in modern times
the fact that oaks are not wild tending here or eaten but used to be long ago, what could people here learn from indigenous peoples to the north and vice versa— who tend oaks or piñon pine for food
this episode was catered to the local village audience of Teotitlan de Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico, on the local radio, so listen with this in mind.
It is a language in Spanish and English, if you are a Spanish speaker, you will get a richer experience from this episode
Damien’s contact: Teléfono Celular: 9515196315 gabdamian12@gmail.com
Radio show facebook page where you can listen
2025 birthday fundraiser for the podcast
