Widower, divorcee, and middle-aged, Ynex Mexia became one of the 20th century’s most prolific botanists. Beginning her botany career in her fifties, Mexia traveled the world collecting approximately 145,000 plant specimens. It was unlikely for a woman, especially one of Mexican heritage in a male-dominated field, to engage in a career considered so unfeminine. However, the wilds of the world brought her peace, contentment, and a sense of purpose. After a tumultuous divorce, she moved to San Francisco, began taking trips with the Sierra Club, and later enrolled in courses at UC Berkeley. It was here where her gift as a plant collector would start to blossom. She went on excursions throughout Alaska, Mexico, and South America. In fact, she is considered Denali’s (then Mt. McKinley) first botanist. Her legacy continues to endure, both in the field of science and as a human who faced incredible odds. The remote environment she worked in, compounded with racism, sexism, and ageism she met throughout her career, reminds us that the wilderness can be a place where we can squelch social barriers. #WomenInScience #HispanicHeritageMonth #Wilderness #STEAMPowered Alt text: A black and white photo of Ynes Mexia with her plant dryer under a tree. Image: Bancroft Library, University of California Berkeley