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Category: Crecemos Outdoors

Yo Cuento: Then & Now

por Christian La Mont

Despierta, mi bien, despierta

Mira que ya amaneció

Ya los pajaritos cantan

La luna ya se metió

Excerpt from Las Mañanitas

Growing up, a birthday morning tradition was waiting in my bedroom listening to my family whisper loudly as they rallied Abuelitas, tías, Mamá, Papá, Abuelito, Hermano, and my great grand aunt Tía Mimi and gathered them together, ready to burst through my bedroom door full of love and occasionally off-key passion and sing las Mañanitas to me. The Pedro Infante version.

As a sort of officially unofficial birthday song in Mexico, las Mañanitas has many versions and singers and oftentimes comes with a piñata waiting outside, a cake, candles, and maybe a face in the cake, but always comes with love and affection.
As we end un año outdoors and step boldly into a new year, I’d like to sing a special Mañanitas to Latino Outdoors, or LO as the organization is also known. Believe it or not, LO is celebrating our 10-year anniversary this year! Surrounded by peer organizations and giants of conservation who have recently celebrated 100 years since their founding, it may seem like a small anniversary, but Latino Outdoors is now old enough to be a 4th grader. Incidentally, 4th graders get free access to all federal lands and waters thanks to the Every Kid Outdoors pass.

The theme of our year-long anniversary celebration will be Crecemos Outdoors: 10 Años. Throughout 2023 we will be showing our love and appreciation for all of the people who have been a part of the LO community during these incredibly exciting and challenging years. 

Needless to say, we are excited to showcase what ten years outdoors looks like, and we are working with LO’s regional teams, allies, artists, and storytellers to celebrate this incredible, unique, and vital comunidad throughout 2023.

From left to right: Founding Board Chairperson, Richard Rojas, Sr., Founder José González, and LO’s first National Director, Graciela Cabello.

One thing I’m looking forward to is cultivating and growing the Yo Cuento Blog. After all, Latino Outdoors began as a blog in 2013 by José González. As part of the celebration, we will be featuring written reflections from those who have been a part of LO from the early days when the seeds of change were just being planted, including LO’s first National Director, Graciela Cabello, Founder José González, and Founding Board Chairperson, Richard Rojas, Sr. We will also be hearing from newer voices and fresh perspectives who are planting the semillas to take LO into the next 10 years.

These voices will share unique perspectives centered around our anniversary theme of growth. What growth have they seen in Latino Outdoors as a movement and community over the past 10 years? What kind of growth have they experienced or helped nurture in the larger world of equity, access to the outdoors, and conservation? What growth have they experienced within themselves?

In 2023, we will feature and publish a new Crecemos Outdoors: Now and Then blog piece every month. These cuentos, these memories, and observations will serve as a way to remember and appreciate, but also as a way to record our own history. These stories and histories will serve as a reminder of what we can accomplish.  They will be first-person accounts that future generations can look to and learn from 10 years, 20 years, and 100 years from now – the 50 and 100-year-olds did it, y nosotros ¿por qué no?

In addition to our monthly Now and Then blogs, we are collaborating with Latinx/e/a/o artists from across the diaspora, and we will be sharing their commissioned artwork throughout the year. These works of art will celebrate the diversity within latinidad and vary as much as the individuals who created them. They will include poetry, watercolor, graphic art, original music, illustrations using natural pigment turning tierra, semillas, and plantas into paint, and more.

As we celebrate 10 years of growth, we will also continue to celebrate every day of 2023 – the outings, the workshops, Semillitas Outdoors, Orgullosamente Outdoors, Latino Conservation Week, and more. We’ll be hosting Livestream panel discussions designed to connect LO leaders and the greater community with opportunities to learn about issues surrounding Indigenous identity, roots, history, sovereignty, land stewardship, land acknowledgments, and beyond. 

Photo by Michael Ocasio

In the past 10 years, we’ve seen BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) outdoor organizations, clubs, coalitions, and spaces grow from a seedling to a sturdy tree. During this time, we’ve seen progress toward more diversity and representation in workplaces. In the last decade, we’ve witnessed and been a part of a cultural shift, a movement that has met the moment. 

The first 10 years of Latino Outdoors were about scratching out a place, about surviving. These next 10 years? They are about thriving. 

Whether it’s your preferred tradition to sing Happy Birthday or Las Mañanitas, we invite you to join us in this important and monumental celebration. We see all the individuals, organizations, clubs, and affinity groups that have planted their seeds and we see you growing. We are like trees in the same forest. We help each other and we communicate, we protect each other, and we thrive as a community.

For our first art piece of Crecemos Outdoors: 10 años, we’re proud to share a piñata-inspired design full of celebration and meaning.

As we have written before: The Latino Outdoors logo consists of two primary symbols. 

“The larger of the two, placed off-center to the left in a petroglyph pictogram style, represents the sun. Two concentric rings form its body. Surrounding the rings, are the rays of the sun, composed of triangles. The four larger triangles represent the cardinal directions. 

To the right of the sun, slightly elevated, is a symbol that evokes a gust of wind or a small cloud. However, it actually represents voice and is inspired by the Aztec speech glyph found pictorially in codices.”

For this special occasion, we have created a version of the LO pictogram with 10 festive elements symbolizing 10 years. These pieces of confetti and dulces adorn the familiar sun glyph, which is embracing cultura and engaging in a sort of code switching by simultaneously representing a piñata. Below the anniversary logo is text reading: “2013 Celebrating 10 Años 2023”.

So let’s break open that piñata and celebrate 10 years of growth, 10 years of movement building, 10 years of dreaming and creating, 10 years of Latino Outdoors.

It’s going to be a big year for LO and we’re so excited to share it with you. This is your celebration as much as it is ours. Feliz cumpleaños, Latino Outdoors. Dale.

#CrecemosOutdoors10

Do you have a memory or cuento to share from your time with LO over the past ten years?

We’d love to hear it.  Email christian@latinooutdoors.org or submit your cuento HERE.

Crecemos Outdoors: Meet Mindy Silva

Recently, we had the chance to get to know Mindy Silva, Director of Special Projects at Camber Outdoors. We learned about her work as a Latina in the DEI space and her connections to nature, faith, and family.

“Learning to take risks was an important part of my personal growth and development.”

Can you tell us some about your personal journey, from growing up to where you are now?

As I reflect back on my childhood journey, I can now appreciate the uniqueness of my experiences compared to my peers and family members. My parents were very intentional about my siblings and I experiencing the outdoors. We frequented Yosemite National Park and Lake Havasu. My father is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and he believed it was important for us to learn outdoor and survival skills. Many of which he shared with us during our family adventures. During these adventures, we were stretched to try new things and take risks. I can now see that learning to take risks was an important part of my personal growth and development. Being outdoors allowed me to step out of my comfort zone of my suburban community and adapt to changing environments – valuable skills that allowed me to build my confidence and take new risks as I grew up. I can recall that some of my family members did not share these experiences. Often fearful of breaking the routine of work and school, they stayed indoors most of the time. Some family members were not even allowed to play in their front yards. In hindsight, I am sure that coming home and sharing about our bear encounters at our cabin in Yosemite did not help reduce any of their fears!

Considering your journey, can you share with us a story about your personal connection to the outdoors, or even a lack of a connection?

When I am outdoors, it is as if time is suspended, the chaos around me is silenced and I feel a strong connection to God – my creator. I experience a true sense of calm and appreciation for the beauty around me. Being outdoors also allows me to recenter and reconnect with my family. There is truly nothing like it!

One of my most treasured memories is when my husband and I decided to hit the road with our children for a three-week road trip adventure across nine states (Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and our own home state of California). Traveling with our children really brought our vacation to life! Seeing everything through their eyes was absolutely magical. They were truly experiencing the beauty in the world for the first time. At each destination, our children stopped to collect their favorite rocks or seashells, they smelled all the beautiful flowers as they passed them by, they dared us to race to the top of each hiking trail, and they made us laugh uncontrollably. Oh, and who can resist a game of tag once you hear the words “you’re it!” In the best possible way, they made us feel like kids again.

Watching our children bond, laugh, and play together made the entire experience worth it. Equally as rewarding was the uninterrupted, quality time we spent together. On our road trip, there were often long stretches where wireless service was limited. The uninterrupted time together created greater opportunities for sharing, singing, laughing, and making memories that would last a lifetime. 

“When I returned home, I felt a stirring inside me to be a positive force for change.“

How did this road trip experience play into your larger journey as a Latina in the workforce and inform your work in the JEDI space?

This road trip was life-changing in so many ways. During our road trip, one of the things that stood out most was that there were not many families who “looked like us.” In several towns, community members were not shy to point out the obvious, that we were visitors. When I returned home, I felt a stirring inside me to be a positive force for change.

I am personally driven by my passion and purpose to support organizations in building their capacity to effectively create equitable systemic change in the communities across the United States. This is what led me to Camber and what informs my work as a Latina in the DEI space. 

Can you share with us your work with Camber Outdoors? A lot of people get worn out by the conversation about JEDI, not because they don’t believe or know first-hand the need to create a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive world, but because they don’t see brands, organizations, or agencies taking any action, beyond words. What is unique about Camber and its Partners?

At Camber, I lead cross-functional initiatives that contribute to measured impact in workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion in the active outdoor industry. One of those initiatives is the Camber Survey System, which is easily one of the most rewarding contributions I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of. The Camber Survey System is a best-in-class survey developed in partnership with the Claremont Evaluation Center – leaders in research design and methodology.

Our goal at Camber is to establish the Camber Survey System as a gold standard of workplace DEI measurement and progress across committed Partners in the Outdoor Recreation Economy. Camber Partners have a unique opportunity to accelerate workplace change as they gain strategic insights and actionable data to learn from, take action on, and make change! Year two of the Camber Survey System has yielded incredible results and measurable forward progress from our Partners. Camber Partners is stepping up to the challenge to move beyond promises to make real progress. As we equip our partners with actionable data, we see incredible strides from a workplace perspective around equitable systems and inclusive culture and leadership practices.  

“On a larger scale, I am hopeful that the Camber Survey System will become a north star for organizations committed to workplace DEI measurement and progress for the outdoor industry and beyond.” 

Can you tell us what a day at Camber Outdoors looks like for Mindy Silva? You spoke very passionately about the role you play at Camber. Why does this work matter to you?

My favorite part about my day-to-day work at Camber is working alongside the entire Camber team and industry peers who share a cohesive vision for systems change. As part of a team that embodies Workplace DEI, I have been able to show up as my authentic self and bring the best of my creativity to the workplace. This feeling of belonging and celebration of diversity, equity, and inclusion continues to drive my passion for supporting other organizations in building their capacity to effectively create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces across the outdoor industry.

Working for Camber has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I remain inspired by the thoughtfulness Camber continues to display at all levels of leadership. I am looking forward to what the future holds and remain grateful at heart for the incredible workplace culture that has been created.

How does Camber make outdoors workplaces more inclusive, equitable, diverse, and accessible? 

Camber has built scalable workplace DEI resources and programming where all Camber Partners and their employees have access to the rich suite of Camber resources and supports, including mentoring programs, the Building Blocks of DEI, Voices from the Future of Work, the Camber Survey System and much more! All Camber resources are available via our online platform and are accessible to persons at all levels of leadership.

Camber has also instituted a new approach of a more guided experience for our Partners to help them navigate the suite of resources needed to achieve their organization-specific goals. Supporting our partners with a data-driven approach to systemic change is a top priority of Camber. Measured change across Inclusive Culture and Leadership Practices, Equitable Supportive Systems and Diverse Talent Pipeline ensure that our partners are focused on change at all levels of leadership across the outdoor industry.

Many BIPOC communities experience several barriers to accessing the backcountry and the “boardroom”. Can you share any insight into why this might be and explain some of these barriers?

There are many excellent groups (like Latino Outdoors!) working on outdoors access and can speak to those barriers. Camber’s work is focused on systems change in workplaces. From this viewpoint, expanding the networks of BIPOC communities is a key driver to expanding opportunities. Camber’s systems approach of first readying workplaces and then building a diverse talent pipeline will help create these expanded opportunities for employers and potential employees. We are excited about the upcoming initiative to support our partners in this next phase of Camber programs and offerings.

What are the issues you see come up repeatedly in your work in terms of JEDI?

One of the issues that I see come up repeatedly is the opportunity that exists to bring in diverse talent via the remote work environment. Previously, many workplaces felt restricted by their geographic locations. Now that remote work has become the norm, and many workplaces are embracing the opportunities to attract underrepresented talent from across the United States. Camber has intentionally remained a 100% remote workplace for this very reason – to access outstanding talent where they are. It has been incredible to work with a breadth of talented colleagues from across the US. 

For many people, DEI initiatives feel performative. What would you say to someone who feels this way?

I would say to them, “remain hopeful.” Camber Partners is stepping up to the challenge to move beyond promises to make real progress. As we equip our partners with actionable data, we see incredible strides from a workplace perspective around equitable systems and inclusive culture and leadership practices.  

Changing the culture of a company, of an industry, or a structure takes time, resources, and data. That being said, what does impact look like for you in this work? What does success look like?

Measurable impact is crucial to the work ahead. Camber’s approach to workplace DEI is systems change, which means that success looks like having strong systems, practices, and processes in place to create workplaces that truly value people of all views, cultures, and backgrounds. On a larger scale, I am hopeful that the Camber Survey System will become a north star for organizations committed to workplace DEI measurement and progress for the outdoor industry and beyond.  

When we spoke, you had mentioned that Camber Outdoors has an upcoming leadership institute report. Can you share with us some highlights or surprising findings?

Yes! Camber is excited to release the Leadership Institute Launchpad. The Launchpad consists of a series of micro-learnings to support participation in systems change by employees at all levels of leadership, including the individual contributor and middle management. 

“I would tell other Latino/Latina people who are in the early stages of their careers to be their authentic selves, to step out of their comfort zones, to pave new paths, and to take risks.”

Considering your journey, your heritage, your background, and your ongoing work advancing justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, what advice would you offer to early-career Latinx people of all ages?

As I consider this incredible journey, my heritage, my background, my faith, and my ongoing work in advancing DEI, I would tell other Latino/Latina people who are in the early stages of their careers to be their authentic selves, to step out of their comfort zones, to pave new paths, and to take risks. Personally, my first lens of how I view the world and the people in it is “love.” Love of self and love for those around me – as measured by a true appreciation and celebration of people from all views, cultures, and backgrounds. 

And finally, where can we find the new Camber Outdoors report?

The Four-part Camber Survey System, which includes both cohort and customized insights, is currently being delivered to our Partners who participated in the survey. Soon we’ll be sharing out some of the top-level insights via social media – stay tuned!

Learn more about Camber and their ongoing work at camberoutdoors.org