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Category: Crecemos Outdoors

True Story: Representation in Wildlife Conservation

por Azalia Rodríguez

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within the last decade, for me, has fluctuated. I wish I could say confidently it has progressed forward in the conservation sector; however, that has not been the case in my lived experience. On some level, the need to be a more inclusive sector has provided me with opportunities, but I would like to think my accomplishments are based on my skills and work ethic instead of the boxes I check. I work in Texas, in the Hill Country, to be specific. Tejanos set a cultural milestone in the latest U.S. census by becoming our state’s largest demographic group. You would think with Tejanos being the largest demographic (and growing), I would see more people who look like me, talk like me, and hold similar cultural values to me in the area where I work, but I don’t. I am a young, Indigenous, wildlife conservationist Tejana in the Hill Country, and that alone puts me in a narrow category.

I remember going to my first network meeting so excited, and eager to make connections with people. I was finally in the door and had a seat at the table that I have always wanted to sit at. You see, my passion for wildlife conservation is inexhaustible, and I have energy like the wind. I can feel it all around me, and it’s expressed unapologetically. So when I say I was ready for this moment, I was truly taking it all in the present. I remember walking in and seeing everyone circled up. I walked around attempting to start conversations and introduce myself but wasn’t really getting an engaging atmosphere. I tried not to overthink and did my best to ignore imposter syndrome creeping in. There had to be about 100 people in the room, but somehow it felt like more. I was disproportionately the youngest in the room (I am in my late 20s) and shockingly uncomfortable. The best way I can put what the experience was like is, that it was not a welcoming room, and even now, I am not sure why or how. I sat to take my seat, purposely not getting on my phone so people could tell I was open to engaging, but nothing. When the opening presenter started his slide deck, to my surprise, the topic was DEIJ in wildlife conservation. I won’t ever forget this, he said, “there is a difference between inviting someone in the room and making them feel welcomed.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. After the presentation concluded, I went outside to call my husband. I was holding back tears trying to express my feelings in words and my frustration. In a professional setting, I felt so small and insignificant and embarrassed as if I did something wrong, as if I didn’t get the memo about something. I won’t ever forget that confining feeling of reality hitting me. I went to the restroom, looked in the mirror, and told myself, “It’s okay…you are qualified, you deserve to be here, and you worked to get here, it will be okay”. I took a deep breath and went back into that room. I wish I could say confidently it has progressed forward in the conservation sector; however, that has not been the case in my lived experience. I used to think it was just about having a seat at the table, but it’s not. It’s about people making efforts to ensure there is space for you, and sometimes you just have to make your own chair and bring it with you.

I now make an effort to speak up when that feeling returns, and I make sure to speak up when I see others looking uncomfortable because I always see it. My colleagues don’t see it, nor do they feel it, but I recognize it very quickly. I am not shy to speak on my lived experiences, because that’s what they are: my experiences. I still get nervous, my throat still gets shaky, and my hands still get sweaty. But, I bring myself to show up and speak up because if I don’t, progress will fail to happen. I am strong and brave like my mother. You see, she never completed the ninth grade and grew up significantly disadvantaged yet she made herself show up when it got hard. She ended up becoming a Senior Director of Risk Management for a multi-billion dollar company. She is what inspires me to keep moving the needle forward because I am exactly like her (igualitas), and I can take adversity so those who want to be in my sector, who are similar to me, do not have to.

One of my passion projects is “Lights Out, Texas!” (LOT) and I lead a citizen science study for it in Austin. When I lived in Dallas and first got involved, I was immediately sold on the idea of citizen science. LOT wasn’t just about saving wildlife, but I saw it as a way to get real science-based experience without needing a background in research, a more equitable way of getting involved in wildlife. I spent my whole adolescent life believing the lie we were all sold, that you need a higher degree to work in science and wildlife. But, there it was, $60K+ of student debt and two degrees later. That’s why I make sure all LOT resources are translated into different languages and do outreach to communities of color.

The truth is, DEI has gotten better for many people, but sometimes it feels like it’s a trend, and one day, the fad will be over. That is why I love Latino Outdoors so much, it’s a community that won’t go away even when everyone else stops talking about it. I can’t recall anyone around me ever knowing what DEI meant ten years ago, and so that tells me there is growth and people are listening, and so I am looking forward to these next ten years.

I used to Americanize myself more when I went to meetings or conferences, but not anymore. Just like having DEI statements won’t fix the issues at hand, my cultura should not be watered down to fit other people’s comfort. I don’t like feeling the need to assimilate to make others feel good about what DEI efforts they are doing. But, diversity or increasing representation in conservation will not happen until we are comfortable with calling it out. When I say we, I mean all of us because it can’t just fall on marginalized groups to recognize it. I am hopeful about the future of DEI in wildlife conservation, but I do owe it to myself and the next generation, to be honest about what reality feels like. This does not discourage me porque soy fuerte y valiente como mi mamá and obstacles are just opportunities waiting to be accomplished.

Azalia Rodríguez is an Outings Leader for Latino Outdoors Austin and works as the Texas Representative in the wildlife conservation sector of the Texas Hill Country. She is passionate about wildlife and saving imperiled species in any way she can. Although qualified and driven, her experience speaks to challenges in the conservation sector of Texas. She shares about the crossroads of cultura y conservation as it pertains to DEI growing pains as Texas engages in a culture shift.

Yo Cuento: Then & Now

por Jazzari Taylor

Growing in Advocacy

I often think back to the Summer of 2016, my first outing event with Latino Outdoors. My best friend, Maricela Rosales, encouraged me to join the Los Angeles Volunteer team at Heal the Bay for a beach cleanup at Dockweiler State Beach. To be completely honest, I was hesitant because I always felt a tug and pull with my racial identity, being multi-racial and a non-fluent Spanish speaker. I was reassured that the growing Latino Outdoors organization, which I would be joining at the cleanup, welcomed all diasporas, multicultural experiences, dialects, and backgrounds. I remember not knowing what to expect, having jitters, and holding my breath. Taking the leap as a participant and volunteer would bring me back full circle as a Policy Advocate with Latino Outdoors.

As a child, I was fortunate to visit local city parks and join free or affordable recreational opportunities. My parents would send me to income-based YMCA summer camps, take day trips to our state beaches, and visit local public lands. Before I joined my first outing event with Latino Outdoors, I faced many challenges in my 20s and was trying to find my purpose in life. What were my passions? What fueled the very core of my soul?

Having the courage to show up to the beach clean-up in 2016 was the best decision I made, not only for my community but also for my health. That summer day, I was welcomed by a handful of volunteers and partners from Latino Outdoors. This left a lasting impression on my outlook on stewarding lands and promoting more accessible outdoor spaces. A growing number of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) organizations and individuals showed up and took up space, helping to change the narrative that we have always loved and cared for the outdoors. This set a precedence for a larger network of collaborative partnerships for championing a more equitable outdoors.

I have seen first-hand the transformative power of comunidades, healing my inner child through the intentional and expressive opportunities Latino Outdoors has offered. In 2018, I co-led my first hike at Eaton Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center, in the newly proposed San Gabriel National Monument expansion. The most amazing part was being able to bring along my mother to share the experience. I co-led outings with many supportive colleagues across Southern California, which broadened my understanding of conservation, and our role in advocating for representation and equitable access to our public lands.

A huge plus has been being able to share these experiences with my familia. There were many firsts, from SnowShoeing in the Los Padres National Forest with Latino Outdoors and encouraging mi primo to step out of our comfort zones together to building my knowledge and skills with the California State Park’s FamCamp Certification campout event. Latino Outdoors also introduced me to an internship with the National Park Service for youth programming at underfunded YMCAs in the Los Angeles County area. All of these opportunities inspired me to further my education and personal skills. I leveraged my past experiences to encourage myself and others to share our stories and extend our networking opportunities. I continued to work for local city parks and recreation departments and, nearly a decade later, completed my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Riverside. I was motivated to “do more” and bring our community voices to the forefront. Then the pandemic hit.

During the pandemic, virtual Lotería games, iNaturalist courses, and book clubs offered a safe space for venting, healing, and learning. Latino Outdoors continued to be more than just an organization, but mi gente, time and time again. During a time of social justice and public health concerns, speaking up and leading by example on how to Recreate Responsibly took a united front. I remember a specific moment when I was inspired to do more after watching a virtual lecture by José González, founder of Latino Outdoors. I emailed him asking something along the lines of, “How do I continue to be involved and influence policy? How can I advocate for our communities in the outdoors? What more can I do?” José González replied, “You are doing enough. Trust the process”.

I continued to identify mentors and like-minded leaders within Latino Outdoors and partner organizations like The National Audubon Society, Nature For All, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), along with my local city parks and recreation departments. It all helped me continue to highlight my passions, for community and the outdoors, while further honing my skills. During the 2020 pandemic, alongside a progressive slate of leaders, I challenged myself to run, and successfully win, as an Assembly District Representative. During the following two years, I worked alongside communities while pursuing and completing a Master’s in Public Administration, with a specialization in Leadership Development from National University. My capstone project thesis focused on park equity and the ethical responsibility of Administrators for equitable outdoor access. I leveraged the Parks Needs Assessment and countless amounts of research that supports the claim that relationship building with communities and increased funding through ethical public policies can help create a more equitable outdoors, thus increasing health, welfare, safety, and access for all.

In these past two years, I continued to learn how to authentically engage with community members. I collaborated with both local and state representatives to truly hear the concerns of the people through workshops, listening sessions, city council meetings, and on-the-ground conversations. Sometimes, the on-the-ground conversations were during a mask-mandated food distribution, COVID-19 testing site, outdoor outing, or a hike. Throughout that period, Latino Outdoors was at the center of outdoor resources for engagement and learning opportunities where a supportive LatinX community continues to grow, from volunteers and colleagues to an extension of my own familia. Latino Outdoors has grown from a staff of four with just under one hundred volunteers to now, eleven national staff and over 250 volunteers in 32 and growing regions across the nation. This year, we’re celebrating ten años of Latino Outdoors!

Who would have thought that showing up as a participant in 2016 would lead to being a part of the national staff in November of 2022? In these past ten months, I have had the opportunity to advocate alongside amazing community members and experts. Latino Outdoors founder José González was also one of the founding members of the California Parks Now Coalition, and now I have the opportunity to join as a Chair on behalf of Latino Outdoors. As members of the coalition, we have advocated at the state capitol in Sacramento for outdoors equity, CA 30×30, the Outdoors For All strategic plan, and various bills. The California Parks Now Coalition comprises over 30 organizations and individuals who bring their own experiences, stories, and expertise to protect and expand access to public parks, oceans, and spaces.

As I continue to develop my own skills as a policy expert, I listen, learn, and support campaigns and Indigenous voices through various coalitions that focus on public lands and national monument designations. In April of 2023, I joined the America the Beautiful Coalition in Washington, D.C., on behalf of Latino Outdoors, working alongside over 100 individuals from organizations across the nation like GreenLatinos, Hispanic Access Foundation, Brown Girl Surf, CalWild, The Wilderness Society, and Sierra Club. We joined working groups to meet with legislative offices to amplify two priorities. One is the 30×30 Federal initiative of preserving at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and freshwater and 30 percent of U.S. ocean areas by 2030. The other is Justice40, which supports that 40% of the federal investments should support underfunded and traditionally marginalized groups. This calls for the federal government to acknowledge that communities of color and frontline communities have had little to no resources in the past. There are strategic plans for new funding to support equitable access, conservation, and investments to protect natural areas with cultural and historic significance.

One of the major takeaways from the federal legislative office meetings was the need for more diverse voices in office and throughout all levels of government. Representation matters when it comes to public administrators making sound decisions that reflect the voices of the people, but this also means that we, the People, have a responsibility to share our stories and remain involved in the processes. I recognize the huge inequities in being able to consistently show up to meetings or spaces when many people’s priorities are to make their basic needs met. This further emphasizes the importance of organizations like Latino Outdoors, which are on the frontline, supporting their participants and volunteers with resources and free or affordable programming opportunities. Our voice matters. Your voice matters and has the power to influence policy.


I am thankful to have a seat at many other tables because of the hard work and dedication of leaders ahead of me, the Latino Outdoors team, and community members across the nation.  Making room for more seats and diverse voices takes the heart of many and the movement of us all. I am thankful for the opportunity to have joined Latino Outdoors in 2016 and the many opportunities to learn more about myself, be able to connect with all of our comunidades, and protect the outdoors. Together, we can make a difference, and it can start with just a beach cleanup. So, my question to you is, will you join Latino Outdoors on our next outdoor adventure?

Reflexiones: Running and Self-Care

por Krista Jett

Growing up in California’s San Joaquin Valley, I was more familiar with the sight of dairy cows and almond orchards than I was with that of wild deer or redwood groves. My grandparents settled in the region because of its rich agricultural history and abundant jobs for farm laborers. With Spanish as their first language, they felt most at home in the communities of migrant farm workers that inhabited the Valle Central. While nature was something that they both appreciated, it simply could not be the determining factor in their decision about where to live. First and foremost, they needed consistent employment and community.

Even though they lived hours from any state or national park and had little money, my grandparents did not let that stop them from making their way to the outdoors. They would take advantage of their little free time, pack up my grandfather’s old blue pick-up, and head for the ocean. In San Simeon State Park, they passed countless happy days and nights camping under the Monterey Pines, with the sounds of the ocean as the backdrop for their dreams.

On one such camping trip, my grandparents imparted their love of the outdoors to me. At just four years old, I was their Chispita, the little spark, and I took on each new experience in life with fervor. I remember the first time my grandma let me stay up late to sit around the campfire and watch the stars come out. I sat in quiet awe, knowing even at that young age that I was witness to something magical. I would remember that feeling when, fourteen years later, I had my first encounter with trail running.

I was eighteen years old when I graduated high school and moved for college, trading in my small farm town for a small mountain town northeast of Napa. After weeks of watching girls from my dorm lace up their shoes and head into the woods, I decided to try it. I was naive to the concept of running shoes, and I ran that first mile in an old pair of Nike basketball shoes. The fit wasn’t great, but it didn’t matter; I was lost in a paradise of pine trees, lazy creeks, and vibrant green moss. I gasped for air at the crest of each hill before throwing myself into the descent, leaving my worries behind as I ran. Finding my independence on a forest trail was exciting and significant to me, and from then on I was all in.

In the nearly 18 years since that day, I have continued running, hiking, and backpacking along the trails of California’s coastal mountain ranges. The wilderness remains my refuge and a source of endless joy. The redwoods have seen me through my darkest hours as I struggled with postpartum depression, mourned the deaths of loved ones, and grappled to cope with the isolation of the pandemic. The forest has stayed my trusty friend through all these years, and I know with certainty that I can always turn to her.

On December 31, 2019, I decided to start a run streak, hoping to carve out some much-needed alone time for myself. For the next year, I ran outside every day, rain or shine, while allowing myself to focus on my needs alone, even if it was only for ten minutes at a time. The outcome was better than I could have ever imagined; at the end of the year, I felt stronger, happier, and even more in love with the outdoors than when I first began. I have maintained my run streak to this day and am preparing to complete my fourth year in a matter of weeks. While I enjoy the benefits of good fitness and improved health, my primary reason for continuing is keeping my daily “outside” routine alive.

My hope is that others like me will make their way into the wilderness and feel empowered to try new things. Accessibility and affordability remain a barrier for thousands, and my goals through social media are to share the beauty of nature for those who cannot reach it themselves, to inspire others to get outside and explore their world, and to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining public outdoor spaces for everyone. I have made it my practice to invite family, friends, and colleagues to join me outside for a run or hike in the hope that one day they will do the same for someone else, and together, we can spread the love of the outdoors.

Krista was born and raised in the Central Valley of California. She has lived and worked as a Pediatric Nurse in the San Francisco Bay since graduating from nursing school nearly fifteen years ago. Krista began a Run Streak on December 31st, 2019 and has run every day since; she also enjoys hiking, back packing, and exploring coastal tide pools.