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Category: Crecemos Outdoors

The Voices of the Rio Grande: Reclaiming Connection to the Outdoors on the Border

Por Marisol Vazquez

For many, “outdoor recreation” flashes images of someone hiking in national parks, camping under the stars, or backpacking through forests. But in South Texas, “outdoor recreation” can mean fishing, hunting, or carne asada. For those of us living on the border along the Rio Grande—especially in cities like Laredo, Texas—our connection to the outdoors looks different, but it’s no less real or meaningful.

Growing up here, the river wasn’t just scenery—it was survival. It’s our primary water source, a sacred space, and the heartbeat of our community. The outdoors to us means walking along dusty roads, fishing with uncles on the weekend, or gathering under mesquite trees for that stretch past sunset. We engage with the land through necessity, tradition, and love. Nature here isn’t always green or gentle—but it’s alive and deeply interwoven with who we are.

My personal connection to the outdoors wasn’t inspired by nature documentaries or summer camps. It was because I saw the importance of protecting and conserving the Rio Grande to ensure Laredo is habitable for future generations.

Outdoor engagement must be redefined to include experiences like ours—those rooted in survival, stewardship, and everyday life. We may not have high mountains or tall pine trees, but we have ritual, respect, and history on this land. The outdoors should welcome all forms of connection, especially those that have been ignored or undervalued.

Unfortunately, access to nature along the border comes with barriers. Militarization, pollution, and limited green space often make the outdoors feel like a restricted zone. The river that nurtures us is also guarded by checkpoints and fencing. There’s fear—of surveillance, of displacement, of contamination. Even public parks feel political when you grow up in a place where your backyard is a border.

Still, we find ways to reclaim it. That’s why it’s so important to create an outdoor movement that sees and values diverse experiences. The more we include people like us—who may not look like the “outdoorsy” stereotype—the more we restore justice to our relationship with the land. The Rio Grande reminds us that nature isn’t just out there. It’s here, at home, and it deserves our protection and belonging.

Marisol Vazquez is a recent graduate from Texas A&M International University, where she majored in biology. She aspires to ignite a passion for the outdoors in her community by advocacy, education, and outdoor activities like kayaking, bird watching, and hiking. Marisol’s outdoor adventures began in California, where she learned to kayak and rock climb and gained a love and appreciation for nature. 

Advocacy – From Local Parks to Public Lands – Joining Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective

Por Jazzari T. Taylor, Policy Advocate, Latino Outdoors

At a time when many of our communities are facing threats to safety and belonging, it’s more important than ever to voice your concerns and ensure that the outdoors remains a place of healing and empowerment. The fight for social justice is deeply connected to the landscapes we protect because the right to feel safe and welcome in nature is part of our shared responsibility to build a better life – one that preserves our cultures, affirms our compassion for others, and protects fundamental human rights.

Earlier this month, I joined the Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective’s kickoff retreat in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Grasstops Collective is designed to strengthen outdoor advocates for human-powered recreation to protect public lands and waters through policy and leadership. As a Policy Advocate with Latino Outdoors and Chair of the Parks Now Coalition, this experience gave me a chance to connect with advocates across the nation, build skills, and reflect on how our collective work can advance outdoor equity from the local to the federal level.

Days before meeting in Colorado, I came from a Parks Now Coalition fly-in with local organizations from across California, where we gathered to advocate for outdoor access and equity in the outdoors, including investments at the state level. Coming from this powerful local gathering into the national Grasstops Collective, I was reminded of the deep importance and connectivity of local communities’ experiences in the outdoors and the larger landscapes, no matter their jurisdiction. All levels of government must work together alongside Tribes and communities to address environmental justice, equitable access, and the preservation of our shared natural heritage.

 This year marks the 119th anniversary of the Antiquities Act, a vital tool that allows presidents to designate national monuments and has been used by Tribes to protect lands and waters from harmful development. As some seek to weaken this authority, it’s critical we uplift the leadership of Indigenous communities and defend their right to protect sacred places through national monument designations. 

“The Outdoor Alliance is a coalition of human-powered outdoor recreation groups united to protect public lands and advocate for the interests of outdoor enthusiasts.”

Outdoor Alliance’s 2025 Grasstops Collective cohort. Photo credit: Holly Mandarich.

Our local parks serve as gateways to the biodiversity and interconnectedness of the outdoors and the many ways to recreate. Your experience in the outdoors matters, and so does the ongoing work to protect these spaces for generations to come.

During the retreat, our cohort explored themes of conservation, climate resilience, and public engagement. We heard from policy leaders like Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, and Patrick Donovan, State Director for Senator Michael Bennet. These discussions gave us insight into how policy is shaped and how important it is to bring community perspectives into these conversations. They also emphasized the need for collaboration to ensure the outdoors is truly for all.

As I shared in the official press release,

“I’m excited to be part of the Grasstops Collective to strengthen my advocacy skills, connect with other leaders, and shape the future of outdoor access through conservation policy. I look forward to bringing these tools back to my community and network to welcome others into this space and drive lasting policy change.”

Connecting with other advocates from across the country made it clear: while our landscapes may differ, our shared commitment to justice, conservation, and community power is what unites us. These relationships help us grow stronger and more effective in the work ahead.

Yo cuento. Tú cuentas. Nuestros cuentos tienen poder.

I matter. You matter. Our stories have power.

Our collective stories have power, and they help move this work forward. If you haven’t shared your outdoor experience yet, we encourage you to do so. Consider submitting your story to the Yo Cuento blog, use your own social media to reflect on what the outdoors means to you, or have conversations within your community – share many ways you like to recreate in the outdoors.

Let’s keep building a movement where everyone belongs. Share your voice, stay engaged, and connect with us, outdoors and in community.

Visit the Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective to learn more about the full Cohort 2 and help Take Action.

Press Release

Mother Nature Saved My Life

por Caro López-Martínez

This story contains topics related to addiction, substance use, and mental health. Please take care of yourself–read at your own pace and step away if needed. If you or someone you know needs support, consider reaching out to a mental health professional or resources such as:

  1. NAMI: a national mental health nonprofit with free educational resources, support groups (online and in person), and crisis resources.
  2. SMART Recovery: an addiction evidence-based charitable organization with support groups (online and in person) and tons of resources, which can all be found on their website, including worksheets.
  3. SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

My love story with the outdoors began in the early 1990s. From running wildly through fields of uncut grass, jumping over wood chips from my playground swing, or even racing across concrete sidewalks with my bicycle, I existed freely in the Chicagoland outdoors. At the same time, there was an omnipresent danger that existed within my urban landscapes, frequently leading me to feel intense fear, suffocation, and dread. The social and vehicle congestion, along with the noise, air, and land pollution, are all innate to a metropolis like Chicago. These rough primary traits became external stressors that would eventually contribute to my post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, and anxiety. Unaware of the future, I marched forward with childhood resilience and a blissful unawareness of later consequence.

In my early 20s, I decided to escape the harms of big city life and take the “geographical cure” to Sacramento, California. Sacramento is proudly known as the “City of Trees,” offering wide green spaces and slow winding roads. The area offered a spiritual peace and external connection that I had long forgotten about through the years of urban oversensitization. I was also able to obtain state medical insurance to finally receive a mental health diagnosis and accompanying treatment options. Unfortunately, I was already within the strong grasp of addiction that had previously formed in Chicago. My addiction was meant to drown only stressors, but instead, it drowned every bit of reality. Fortunately, I was able to find enjoyable employment at a local wild bird feeding store. Through this position, I learned about different ways of connecting with the natural world, including birding and hiking. Engaging in nature-based activities began to take up most of my free time, instilling health in my body, mind, and spirit.

Throughout my mid-to-late 20s, I moved across different states due to financial struggle. At the same time, my addiction and mental illness worsened, eventually leading to a week-long hospitalization. Around age 30, I had finally become fed up with my unsustainable lifestyle and decided to search for more intensive treatment options. Through an addiction sponsor’s recommendation, I enrolled in a joint rehab and intensive outpatient program (IOP) outside of Chicago. Through this program, I learned that my time in natural spaces was a core and essential part of my overall recovery. With this newfound knowledge, I reshifted my primary focus to sobriety and mental health management, building my strength for spending more quality time in the natural outdoors. I began to explore the green spaces just outside the metropolitan area, including prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and populations of buffalo and elk. I also learned to tune into the ubiquitous natural beauty just outside my window, including symphonies of songbirds, rainbow sunrises, and the smell of Earth after a rainstorm.

At age 33, I have come to fully appreciate the relationship I have with the natural world. Through my recent trekking trips to western Canada, Oregon, and Washington state, I finally found my home amongst the smell of pine trees, misty haze, and snowy mountain views. I felt an overwhelming love for both myself and my planet that I had never experienced before. Filled with hope, I’m currently in the process of moving my career to the Pacific Northwest, dedicating my life to conserving our natural environment.

Without our natural resources, neither I nor any living being would be alive today; our planet provides us with all the tools we need to live a healthy and sustainable life. For years, I had lost my mind within the artificiality of my urban environment, forgetting about the more important world that surrounded it. A lifelong journey later, I found healing and purpose through protecting the world that I love more and more each day.

Caro is a lifelong lover of green spaces and an ambitious nonprofit worker trying to make their big break in the environmental industry. Their professional career has grown across the industries of fine art, science, research, and clinical mental health. Outside of work, they enjoy engaging in nature-based activities, creating artwork, exploring new spaces, and spending time with good company.