Ynez Mexia made a bold decision of enrolling into the University of California Berkely at the age of 51. It was rare for women to go to college during the 1920s. The fact that Mexia decided to pursue a college education as a middle aged woman at such a time in American history speaks volumes of Mexia’s character. Described by her peers as being upfront and sometimes impulsive. One occasion recounted by Mexia’s colleague, N. Floy Bracie, shows just how fiery Mexia’s attitude could be at times. In an interview, Bracie recalls a time when she sat outside a UC Berkley building to eat lunch with Ynez Mexia and a friend, Beryl Kautz. Kautz began to tease Mexia as they ate lunch together, and Mexia then proceeded to get so angry that she lunged at Kautz with a knife and cut her. Could you imagine being stabbed by a 50-year-old college student? A fiery attitude was perhaps necessary for a middle aged woman entering the field of academia during the 1920s. Mexia began her career as a botanist at the age of 56, only 5 years after enrolling into undergraduate classes. Ynez Mexia was without a doubt a unique botanist that helped paved the way for Hispanic people and women in STEM
Mexia was born on May 24th 1870 in Washington DC. Her mother was American and her father was a notable Mexican diplomat, Enrique Mexia. Ynez Mexia’s childhood was not an ideal one. Her family moved around quite a bit due to the nature of her father’s job. Eventually her parents got divorced and she was sent to boarding school. It’s safe to say Mexia had a lonely childhood. Mexia’s father became sick by the late 1880’s and Mexia was forced to move back with him in Mexico to take care of him. By 1897 Mexia married a merchant. Their marriage was short lived and Mexia’s husband died in 1904. Around the same time that her 1st husband died, Mexia started a pet and poultry stock raising business on the property she had inherited from her father. She married a man and partnered with him to run the new business, but this proved to be a mistake when he effectively destroyed the business and they had to file for bankruptcy. Mexia divorced her second husband in 1906. By 1909 Mexia reached a low point in her life and suffered from a mental/ emotional break. Mexia left Mexico to seek institutional help from Dr. Philip King Brown in San Francisco. She spent a total of ten years under the treatment of Dr. Brown. Her time spent recovering in San Francisco would be the first time Mexia would be exposed to the Sierra Club. Eventually, Mexia would join the Sierra Club on conservation excursions that would spark her interest in ecology and conservation. In 1921 Mexia would go on to enroll into undergraduate classes at the University of California Berkley and in 1924 she gained full American citizenship. Mexia’s move from Mexico to the United States possibly saved her life and also started her career in Botany.
Mexia short lived career in Botany was one that carried a high amount of success. Her career as a botanist started shortly after she began taking classes from the University of California Berkley in 1926. Her first of many field trips would be to Mexico, where she was accompanied by a group that was sponsored by Stanford University. It was during this first trip that Mexia realized that she preferred to do her fieldwork alone and that she felt held back in group environments. She quickly broke off from the group in Mexico and decided to work alone. It was on that same first trip that Mexia realized that dangers of doing field work alone. She reportedly fell off of a cliff while trying to reach for a specimen and broke a few of her ribs. Her accident forced her to turn around early and head home to San Francisco. Despite getting hurt and despite societal norms for the time, Mexia had gained a newfound liking for travelling and conducting field work. She spent her time recovering from her injury by creating an itinerary to conduct more field work in Mexico. At the age of 55, Mexia had found her calling in life through conducting field work as a botanist. “I have a job, where I produce something real and lasting.”
Mexia continued her affiliation with the Sierra Club and continued to conduct field work in many remote parts of South America, central America, and Alaska. She would often embark on these expeditions alone, with only the help of local guides at her destinations. Mexia’s brave spirit can be characterized by her quote: “…if I wanted to become better acquainted with the South American continent the best way would be to make my way right across it.” The goal of her work was to visit places that other botanists have not visited before and to collect as many specimens as possible. She did this with great success. During her short career, Mexia was able to discover of 500 new species of plants, and 2 new genera. To put her work into perspective, she collected 500 specimens during her first voyage to Mexico as a botanist. 500 specimens were the same number of specimens that was collected on Darwin’s famed voyage on the Beagle.
Her career spanned 13 years until it ended where it all began for her. During a research trip in Oaxaca, Mexico Mexia became sick and was forced to return home to the United States. After returning to the United States, a visit to the doctor revealed she had developed lung cancer. She passed away only one month after returning from her final research trip. Mexia’s estate was mostly donated to the Sierra Club and the Save the Redwoods League.
Besides single handedly advancing the field of Botany, Mexia was able to pave the way for Hispanic people and women in STEM. Unlike any other botanist during her time, she started her college education at the age of 51. Mexia is the personification of the saying “it’s never too late”. Her professional career in Botany only lasted 13 years, but her work is still being studied by scientists to this day. Curators are also still working to completely catalogue her specimens. Mexia’s work as a botanist spanned only 13 years, but the impression she left within the science community will live on forever. Her peers often describe her as impulsive or fiery, but also resilient and brave. She was not a regular botanist, and she wasn’t a regular woman for her time. Mexia’s spirit enabled her to push through societal norms. Not only an inspiration for Hispanic people and women in STEM, but she is also an inspiration to anyone in the world who may think it's too late to get an education or too late to start a new hobby.
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