Interview With Victor Bojorquez

Victor Bojorquez

High school junior and participant in the tappenekšekma Ohlone Science Diplomats program

Q: Tell us your name, your pronouns, and a little bit about how you engage with science

A: My name is Victor Bojorquez. My pronouns are he/him. The way I would describe myself engaging with science, or just learning in general, would be somewhat fluctuating, as I’m still a student and a junior in high school. I engage more interactively. I want to be more hands-on and really get involved in activities. With science, that could be all kinds of stuff. I have science classes and I do science at The Lawrence, so it’s a lot more hands-on rather than just brainstorming.

Q: What is your connection to The Lawrence?

A: Basically, what I’ve been doing for almost a year now is working with the tapenekšekma Ohlone Science Diplomats program. We’ve been working to bring Ohlone values, culture, and traditions into the spotlight. We’re sharing pieces of our culture with the museum through exhibits. We’ve been brainstorming and creating activities that people can get involved in at The Lawrence. I also attended the Association of Science & Technology Centers Annual Conference (ASTC) in 2025 to present about the program there.

Q: Can you tell us more about your experience in the tapenekšekma program and the kind of work you’ve been doing?

A: In the early stages, we did a lot of brainstorming about what we wanted the exhibits to revolve around. A lot of it was collaborating with peers, youth, and adults in the program about what we wanted it to look like. We were creating ideas about what we hoped people would take away from the experiences and the values behind it.

My personal experience involved a lot of talking with my peers and the youth around me so we could get to know each other and share our ideas. Early on, it was mostly communication. As we got further into it, it evolved into designing. We had to get our hands dirty and make tule boats, so I collaborated with peers to build those. I also mashed acorn dust and did other hands-on activities. It went from communication into collaboration, and now we’re finalizing things.

Q: Can you tell us about the traditions, relationships, and collaborations involved in this work?

A: I don’t have a lot of the foundational knowledge about Ohlone culture yet, but I hope to learn more. This project has definitely been a seed that helped me spread my roots and explore opportunities to talk to people and learn more about Ohlone culture, and even other cultures. In terms of collaboration and community practices, there has been a lot of collaboration with the science center and with my peers. Collaboration has meant talking, working together, and openly communicating through email.

Q: How does the project help make science more engaging, accessible, or inclusive?

A: From the beginning we wanted to make sure anybody could engage with the exhibits, whether that be elders, youth, young adults, or older adults. All kinds of ages. Youth can participate, adults can participate, and that makes it special and unique because it brings a sense of togetherness. That’s what makes the work feel engaging and inclusive.

Q: What advice would you give to young people who feel like science might not be for them?

A: The best advice I could give would be to keep trying. As you get older, your interests are going to change. While science may not feel like it’s for you right now, keep trying it, because it can be eye-opening. There’s a bit of science for everybody. Science isn’t limited to what you see in a lab on TV. It can involve research, hands-on activities, and many different paths. For younger people who feel like science isn’t their pathway, I guarantee there will be something, so just keep trying.

Q: What do you think the world would look like if everyone felt like science was for them?

A: I don’t necessarily want to say the world would be smarter, but I think it would be more open. Scientists often have an open mindset. They’re open to new ideas, learning new things, gathering research, and expanding their knowledge. So the world would probably be more open and more accessible to all kinds of knowledge.

Q: What is your favorite thing about science?

A: I would say collecting information. It’s always cool to learn more and figure out how you want to use that information. You can use it at school, in your personal life, or for projects you’re involved in. For me, that would be the Tupěnək Shekma program. Collecting information is always interesting because you’re learning new things and can keep that knowledge with you.