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Author: Ruby Rodríguez

Latino Outdoors Los Angeles: Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Hike

The temperature was climbing to a comfortable mid-70s and the blue sky and wild green grass had a brilliant technicolor hue, the type you only see after foul weather has cleared. “I think the sun’s following me,” Latino Outdoors founder José González joked. Rains had battered the Southern California coastline for the past few weeks and the sun was finally shining brightly. Jose had just come from San Diego where the recent rains had let up just in time for his excursion there as well. He was heading to Santa Barbara soon after our hike and the sun, no doubt, would be his companion. Joining José at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook visitor center were a few local outdoor experts, myself, and about a dozen hikers of all ages who had heard of the event through social media, the Latino Outdoors website, and word of mouth.

We walked along a narrow dirt trail and the tall brush obscured any view of the busy downtown Los Angeles skyline, of the Hollywood Sign, and of the urban sprawl in between. Leading the day’s hike was Maricela Rosales, L.O. Brand Coordinator, who works to create an inclusive space outdoors. Along the way, Maricela described how unique the Overlook was as an outdoor space. “This space is for you,” she emphasized as she explained the importance of conservation, sustainability, and inspiring and empowering the next generation of outdoors leaders.

Selene Castillo, a Park Interpretive Specialist from the Los Angeles State Historic Park had also joined the excursion. “All of this is native” she announced as she educated our hikers about the importance of protecting and preserving the native wild flower and wildlife ecosystem.

While mindfully acknowledging that the Overlook, and the Los Angeles region as a whole, sits on indigenous land, González reminded us that we have every imaginable type of public space available here from city, state, and state parks to national monuments, protected marine parks and more. As he spoke passionately to the group, he pointed to various swaths of green on the horizon. His message was clear: Los Angeles was a unique area filled with a surprising amount of open spaces and it was ours, as a latinx community to cherish, to protect, and to enjoy.

A few hikers stopped to listen, perhaps intrigued by the sight of latinos outdoors and in numbers. A warm breeze suggested that Spring had finally arrived and we climbed up an incline, each of us at our own pace and yet together as a group. When we reached the summit of the Overlook we caught our breaths, wiped our brows and looked out at the same Los Angeles skyline, but somehow with different eyes. It wasn’t just highways, apartment buildings, skyscrapers and traffic that we were looking at. It was opportunity. It was a land of open space and trails, of mountains, parks, conservation, preservation, inclusion and access to the outdoors, right in our backyard.

We returned to the visitor center for a fun raffle giveaway as many of us exchanged contact information and ideas. Maricela wrapped up the outing with a call to action: get involved. Volunteer. Learn. Join the Latino Outdoors community. Protect open spaces. Represent and include those who are just getting started. Find and inspire young outdoor leaders.

We took some group photos, and showed off our new hats, stickers, t-shirts and calendars, we hugged, laughed, made sure we got each others’ names right and we wished José well as he, and the sun, headed off to warm and inspire the next group of latinx adventurers, hikers and conservationists. I took one last look at the City of Angels from the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and could only think of one thing: I can’t wait for the next L.O. outing.

— Guest Blogger: Christian La Mont

(Photos courtesy of Christian La Mont)

Mi Gente (Personas de la comunidad): Marlene Bernal

Mi Gente (Personas de la comunidad): Marlene Bernal

Age/Años: 24

Location/ Ubicación: Los Angeles (Watts), CA

What is your first memory when it comes to connecting with nature? /¿Cuál es tu primer recuerdo cuando se trata de conectarte con la naturaleza?

Marlene:The first memory I have of connecting with nature was camping in Kern River, my family and friends made a trip out there every single year and we loved it. The smell of firewood burning while cuddled up in a blanket and waking up to the sound of the slow rising current was something I looked forward to every year. I am so grateful for those memories because not only did I get to connect with nature, but with all of the people I love and care for as well.

El primer recuerdo que tengo de conectarme con la naturaleza fue acampar en Kern River, mi familia y amigos hicieron un viaje cada año y nos encantó. El olor a leña ardiendo mientras estaba acurrucado en una manta y despertando con el sonido de la lenta corriente ascendente era algo que ansiaba todos los años. Estoy muy agradecido por esos recuerdos porque no solo pude conectarme con la naturaleza, sino también con todas las personas que amo y cuido.

Was your family engaged in the outdoors during your childhood? /¿Tu familia se involucró en actividades al aire libre durante tu infancia?

Marlene: Yes. My family always tried to get us outdoors one way or another. There is one specific memory I have of visiting Portland, Oregon when I was younger. We visited so many different waterfalls, but Multnomah Falls is the one I remember the most. Although at the time, I was too young to acknowledge all the hard work my parents put into getting us outdoors, I appreciated the beauty of my surroundings and was very grateful for all those experiences. Now, I look forward to sharing those experiences with others.

Sí. Mi familia siempre trató de llevarnos al aire libre de una manera u otra. Hay un recuerdo específico que tengo de visitar Portland, Oregon cuando era más joven. Visitamos tantas cascadas diferentes, pero Multnomah Falls es la que más recuerdo. Aunque en ese momento, era demasiado joven para reconocer todo el arduo trabajo que mis padres pusieron para que saliéramos al aire libre, aprecié la belleza de mi entorno y estaba muy agradecida por todas esas experiencias. Ahora, espero compartir esas experiencias con otros.

Did you ever see your culture represented in the outdoors? / ¿Alguna vez viste tu cultura representada al aire libre?

Marlene: To be completely honest, not as much as I should’ve. There are certain barriers that make it difficult for people to connect with the outdoors such as language, familiarity and accessibility. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be easy to feel out of place when exploring the outdoors because of these barriers but that shouldn’t discourage anyone, we all have to start somewhere and working through these situations is a great place to start.

Para ser completamente honesto, no tanto como debería haberlo hecho. Existen ciertas barreras que dificultan que las personas se conecten con el exterior, como el idioma, la familiaridad y la accesibilidad. Desafortunadamente, a veces puede ser fácil sentirse fuera de lugar cuando exploras el aire libre debido a estas barreras, pero eso no debe desalentar a nadie, todos tenemos que empezar en alguna parte y trabajar en estas situaciones es un gran lugar para comenzar.

 

Do you have any favorite parks? /¿Tienes algún parque favorito?

Marlene: When I was in college, I really loved to take the Sutro Baths/Lands End Trail for a quick breather. Sometimes I would even go in between classes since it was quick and easily accessible and the views were incredible. But, there is one park that is so dear to my heart and that is: Watts Serenity Park which is located in Watts, CA. I was there since the very beginning when it was only an empty lot I drove by on my way to school. I had the opportunity to work with The Trust for Public Land throughout the process of turning it into what it is now – a neighborhood park that everyone uses for recreation, fitness and for the sole purpose of playing outdoors!

Cuando estaba en la universidad, realmente me encantaba tomar el Sutro Baths / Lands End Trail para tomar un respiro rápido. A veces incluso me ponía entre clases porque era rápido y de fácil acceso, y las vistas eran increíbles. Pero, hay un parque que es tan querido para mi corazón y eso es: Watts Serenity Park, que se encuentra en Watts, California. Estuve allí desde el principio, cuando era solo un lote vacío cuando manejaba camino a la escuela. Tuve la oportunidad de trabajar con The Trust for Public Land a lo largo de todo el proceso de convertirlo en lo que es ahora: ¡un parque del vecindario que todos usan para la recreación, el acondicionamiento físico y con el único propósito de jugar al aire libre! 

What was your major in college? / ¿Cuál fue tu especialidad en la universidad?

Marlene: I majored in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit and Community Recreation. This major is very extensive, meaning that there is so much you can do with it. Due to my upbringing, I decided to focus more on bringing recreation into the community, providing more recreational resources and increasing public access to open green spaces.

Me especialicé en Recreación, Parques y Administración de Turismo con énfasis en organizaciones sin fines de lucro y recreación comunitaria. Este especial es muy extenso, lo que significa que hay mucho que puedes hacer con él. Debido a mi educación, decidí centrarme más en llevar recreación a la comunidad, proporcionar más recursos recreativos y aumentar el acceso público a espacios verdes abiertos.

What career path have you taken? /¿Qué carrera profesional has tomado?

Post-grad life has definitely been a rollercoaster, but nonetheless I have been taking advantage of all the different opportunities that have come my way. I’ve been working for the YMCA as an afterschool program leader but I am right in the middle of shifting the direction of my career path to focus more on what truly makes me happy. I am ready to start working and giving back to my community. Parks and open spaces are necessary to improve an individual’s quality of life and I am excited to share what I’ve learned with people who might not have access to experiencing the outdoors as easily.

La vida después de la graduación definitivamente ha sido una montaña rusa, pero sin embargo, he estado aprovechando todas las oportunidades diferentes que se han cruzado en mi camino. He trabajado para la YMCA como líder de programa después de la escuela, pero estoy en el medio de cambiar la dirección de mi carrera profesional para centrarme más en lo que realmente me hace feliz. Estoy listo para comenzar a trabajar y devolver a mi comunidad. Los parques y los espacios abiertos son necesarios para mejorar la calidad de vida de una persona y estoy emocionado de compartir lo que he aprendido con personas que quizás no tengan acceso a experimentar el aire libre con la misma facilidad.

 

 

 

Do you volunteer? /¿Eres voluntario?

Marlene: I recently started volunteering at the Watts Empowerment Center, where I get to connect with children and youth through conversation and a handful of different recreational activities. I love to volunteer and I value the importance it. Frontline staff is so crucial to many organizations so I am very grateful for people who volunteer and also for organizations that offer volunteer opportunities.

Recientemente comencé como voluntario en el Watts Empowerment Center, donde me conecto con niños y jóvenes a través de conversaciones y un puñado de diferentes actividades recreativas. Me encanta ser voluntario y valoro su importancia. El personal de Frontline es tan crucial para muchas organizaciones, por lo que estoy muy agradecido por las personas que se ofrecen como voluntarios y también por las organizaciones que ofrecen oportunidades de voluntariado.

How do you feel about the POC movement in the outdoors? / ¿Cómo te sientes sobre el movimiento entre las personas minorías en el aire libre?

I know we might still have a long way to go, but I would never depreciate how far we’ve come. I feel so proud when I see different individuals and organizations pushing for People of Color to explore the outdoors and I 100% support this movement. The lack of parks, open spaces and recreational resources should not be defined by the area you live in nor the color of your skin. The prospect of current and future generations experiencing the outdoors is inspiring because it can change so many lives for the better.

Sé que todavía nos queda un largo camino por recorrer, pero nunca devaluar lo lejos que hemos llegado. Me siento muy orgulloso cuando veo a diferentes personas y organizaciones presionando para que personas minorías descubrien el aire libre y apoyo a todos en este movimiento. La falta de parques, espacios abiertos y recursos recreativos no debe definirse por el área en la que vives ni el color de tu piel. La perspectiva de las generaciones actuales y futuras de experimentar el aire libre es inspiradora porque puede cambiar tantas vidas para mejor.

All photos courtesy of Marlene Bernal.

“Yo Cuento Outdoors”~The Stories Of Latino Outdoors. Part 6

Originally posted at: FitFunAnd.com

“Yo Cuento Outdoors” is back!

 

Latino Outdoors is a wonderful Organization that provides many of us Volunteers and Leaders with a platform to amplify the Latino experience in the outdoors; providing greater opportunities for leadership, mentorship, professional opportunities and serving as a platform for sharing cultural connections and narratives that are often overlooked by the traditional outdoor movement. It is a space for the community to be present, share their voices, and showcase how conservation roots have been ingrained in Latino cultura for generations.

My pleasure to highlight Maricela ‘Marci’ Rosales~Outdoor Brands Coordinator for LO.

I had the pleasure of meeting Marci last summer and if I had to sum her up in three words they would be … passionate, energetic and fearless, she is a Force of Nature no doubt!

“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

– Edmund Hillary

What are the earliest memories of you in the outdoors with a connection to Nature?

My earliest memory was swinging on a hammock looking up and looking at the two different trees, the sun was peeking through both trees creating shapes and bringing in glimmers of light. I remember the trees swaying and rustling. I would take naps outside because I loved the way the wind and trees made music together. I noticed that the hammock was being held by these two trees and my curiosity convinced me to climb the Palm tree. I was maybe 4 or 5 years old. I like climbing things.

How do you connect to doing what you do now in the outdoor space?

I have a long story. Haha. I will say that growing up I was disconnected to outdoor spaces. I never thought that my backyard was an outdoor space. Schools didn’t go to State Parks or the Angeles Forests, there were no community gardens, and there was a lot of concrete. Los Angeles at the time lacked safe outdoor spaces. My family worked a lot so we really didn’t recreate. I was also bit sheltered because of my disability. I would sit in my room and look at the national geographic books my dad used to collect. While looking at the amazing images in my mind at a very early age, it was something that I always wanted to do but didn’t know how to get there, where to start looking or what would be “my thing”. In my teens, we moved out of the inner city and in the Latino Suburbs is where I realized there was less trash, more parks, and green lawns.  At my new high school, I took AP Biology and really liked it. I was convinced this was the way in to find my calling. When I got accepted to UC Riverside as an Environmental Science Major. It didn’t take long for me to switch majors I couldn’t pay attention at the time. To many things were happening, my dad’s health was declining, I was commuting from Riverside to LA county regularly to help my dad and to work, and I was in physical pain that kept me from focusing on my studies.

Something happened when I switched my major to Sociology/Law & Society, different sociological phenomenon’s, demographics of communities, disparities and crime opened my mind to the world. It blew me away that so many things were interconnected and not one thing moved on its own when it came to our social world. At the same time, I got the help I needed to improve my well-being and got involved in the outdoors by getting a job at the Challenge course on campus. My dreams started coming together in different ways and I loved where things were going. I got into rock climbing and that in itself became a huge part of where I am today in life. Because of my experiences I have become an advocate and invested volunteer. Giving time to organizations like Latino Outdoors, Access Fund, and Nature For All has opened many opportunities for me and the surrounding communities I work with in Los Angeles. I am but one person but my goal is to share what I have with others so they too can benefit from outdoor spaces, access, and wellness. I want them to be volunteers, to get those jobs in the Outdoor Industry and I want the community where I come from to be champions of the land.

What make the outdoors special to you and do you have a favorite hike?

The outdoors is a special place for me because it’s a place to heal, to explore, to protect. It could be your back yard, your local park, and your rivers and forests. I connect while I’m climbing outside. I don’t have a favorite hike but I do like venturing into the San Gabriel National Monument. I really like the Horse Flats Campground area.

How do you celebrate the connections between a Latinx identity and the outdoors?

Some of the folks that venture on outings in Los Angeles are doing it for the first time. Making them relatable and inclusive is important. Partnering with other organizations and rangers to translate builds trust. Making the outdoors relatable is important to celebrating diversity. Bringing in culture and storytelling helps celebrate the identify of people participating.

How do you see yourself “counting” in the outdoors and in the community around you?

In the summer, LO Los Angeles had their first campout and it was a lot of fun. We went to Malibu Creek State Park where we played in the water, went to the visitor center, saw some planets with a very big telescope, and we all made dinner together. On the last day, we talked about the importance of protecting places and picked up trash along the way. Families who participated mentioned their desire to get involved in their local communities; having a voice and amplifying the importance of what they felt mattered to them. To me it’s about leading and having others come into your place collectively using each other’s strengths to make things happen for the greater good. Maybe it’s not huge change but impacts come in all shapes and sizes.  As a woman of color with my experiences I feel inspired and responsible to be a part of change. Not a bone in my body is doing this for the wrong reasons.

Why does what you do matter to you?

It matters because I believe all communities benefit from outdoors spaces, from access to recreate, it creates sustainable communities.

Muchas Gracias Maricela for sharing what the outdoors means to you. I love the fact that you are not just hiking to the mountain but climbing it as well. You are truly a Latino Outdoors inspiration and may you continue to pave new paths on your aventuras Amiga : ).

 

Everyone has their own story on what they love most about Nature and what keeps them there. What is it that draws you to the wild open spaces?

Fitfunand  … Latina Outdoors.