Our Mission

We are a volunteer-led initiative dedicated to honoring California’s identity through the creation of a new state symbol.

California’s history is defined by the relationship between people and the land. Long before statehood, California’s Indigenous peoples were the original stewards of this region, cultivating deep ecological knowledge and sustainable practices with native plants and ecosystems. Later generations brought additional crops, farming techniques, and cultural traditions that took root in California’s soil and shaped its varied landscapes. Together, these histories continue to influence how the state grows, thrives, and even smells—from orchards and fields to gardens and wild spaces.

This effort is rooted in respect for California’s farmers, ecosystems, and natural environments, from fertile valleys and working farmland to coastlines, forests, deserts, and mountains. By bringing greater awareness to this shared heritage, the initiative seeks to recognize how culture, agriculture, and environment are deeply interconnected.

By creating a new California state symbol, we aim to preserve and capture the full story of our people, our agriculture, and our diverse landscapes—celebrating what makes California unique, inspiring stewardship, and fostering pride in the land we all call home.

If California had a scent, what would it be?

A volunteer-led initiative dedicated to honoring California’s identity through the creation of a new state symbol.

Honeybee collecting nectar from an orange blossom, highlighting citrus tree pollination in bloom. 
Where Did This Idea Come From?

From Classroom to State Symbol.

This initiative was inspired by the idea that scent can represent place, and that meaningful civic ideas can emerge from unexpected beginnings.

The concept originates in New Mexico, where the idea of a state aroma began as a conversation among 5th-grade students. What started as a classroom discussion eventually grew into a statewide effort, leading to the official adoption of roasted green chile as New Mexico’s state aroma in 2023. Students and community members explored how a familiar regional scent could serve as a cultural symbol, reflecting shared memory, identity, tradition, and the landscape itself.

What makes this story remarkable is not only the outcome, but the example it sets. It demonstrates how curiosity, creativity, and civic engagement can transform a simple idea into something that resonates across an entire state. The students behind the effort showed that meaningful contributions to public life are not limited by age, and that new ways of celebrating their home can begin with a single question.

The work of that classroom reframed scent as more than a personal experience. It revealed how a shared aroma can express a community’s relationship to its landscape, history, and cultural identity.

California holds an equally rich and varied aromatic landscape, with scents that help define the character of its people and places. Yet this olfactive identity remains officially unrecognized.

Inspired by the example set in New Mexico, this initiative invites Californians to consider how the scents of the state help tell its story. Just as a group of 5th-grade students recognized that aroma could serve as a meaningful symbol of place, this effort reflects the value of listening to the curiosity, imagination, and insight of young people. Their ability to see connections that others may overlook serves as a reminder that innovative ideas often emerge from fresh perspectives. By exploring the relationship between aroma, memory, environment, and culture, this initiative seeks to continue that spirit of discovery while opening a broader conversation about whether California’s sensory identity might one day be recognized through an official state symbol.

  • Layla Rushing is a California-born perfumer and multidisciplinary creative based in Southern California. She leads this volunteer-driven public project.

    Her work as an olfactive artist is grounded in California’s landscapes and informed by a strong connection to the natural environment. This project reflects her passion for nature, environmental stewardship, and the places that shape California’s identity.

    “This initiative is about more than a symbol. It is about noticing, remembering, and honoring the living landscape of California. I invite others to be part of that conversation.” —Layla