Drawing from the concept of ‘spirituality’ and the environmental humanities, this program explores how Floridians can understand the state’s waters within the context of the sacred, the holy, or the divine. By gathering historical outlooks and present-day environmental movements, Dr. Victoria Machado examines the cultural connections Floridians have to water and various environmental practices these connections inspire.

Dr. Victoria Machado (she/her) is an assistant professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where she teaches Nature Spirituality and Environmental Crisis in its Cultural Context. She holds a PhD in religious studies with a dual specialization in Religion in the Americas and Religion & Nature from the University of Florida. Victoria’s research focuses on the environmental humanities and spiritual dimensions of Florida’s water. She is co-editor of the De Gruyter Handbook of Religion and Social Change (expected in late 2026), and she has chapters in the Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Food (2026) and the forthcoming Routledge Blue Humanities Handbook.

Recommended parking in Lot 16 (Address: Parking Lot 16, Melbourne, FL 32901). Once parked in Lot 16, walk in the direction opposite the street toward the covered pedestrian bridge, which includes an accessible ramp. After crossing the bridge, Evans Library will be the large building on your left. Enter through the double doors.

Funding for this Florida Talks program is provided in part by Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with the Community Foundation for Brevard. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.