Ruby Rodríguez is LO’s longest-tenured staff member, going from volunteer to part-time staffer in 2016 to Director of Programs & Operations. Here, she shares a snippet from a lesser-known part of LO’s journey.
Finding Latino Outdoors (LO) is like coming home for many LO leaders. Listen to the stories we tell about how we came to know LO, and you will find a common thread: that we were actively, consciously searching for community and cultural connections to weave into our relationship with the outdoors. That was me in 2014. You can learn more about that part of my story here.
My daughter Camila, pictured above, touched my heart when she said to me last year that her favorite thing about me is that I don’t give up. Even when something is harder than I thought it would be, I keep going.
Just five years ago, in the first quarter of 2018, there was a brief period where I was overseeing LO’s operations as the only member of LO’s national support staff—working only ten hours per week due to lack of resources and volunteering hours on top of that. Graciela Cabello and José González, LO’s first-ever staff members, had dedicated themselves to developing a solid organizational foundation before moving on in 2017 and 2018, respectively. José’s thoughtfully approached departure was neatly followed by a Board-led search for our next Executive Director. Meanwhile, I continued with administrative functions and volunteer management as best I could with limited hours and a small “proto” team made up of volunteers who supported LO’s social media, IT, and outdoor brand relations. Not feeling ready for the position, I didn’t apply for the executive leadership role. But I did hold things together during that transition. Luckily, the stars aligned and within a few months, Luis Villa was welcomed to LO as its new Executive Director.
It’s true that I am not one to give up, yet I recognize when it may be time to move on. After onboarding Luis and familiarizing him with LO’s values and programs, I felt confident that LO would be safe with him. As for me, I needed to move forward on my own path toward self-sufficiency and figured grad school would provide me with the opportunities and upward mobility that I needed as a single mother. My imminent departure lit a fire under Luis and he offered me a full-time position as the Operations Manager a few days before I was set to start class. The opportunity to work full-time with LO was my dream come true (I’m serious—I’m living my dream here), so I said yes and we worked around the clock for eighteen months to fortify Latino Outdoors.
In the early days of the pandemic, when everything was scary and the schools were closed and we had no vaccine, we took a leap of faith and invested in a third full-time staff person, and within three years, we carefully brought on nine more. I am proud to have come this far from the days of barebone resources, and grateful for a team made up of kind, highly skilled, and motivated people that help maintain Latino Outdoors as a place that feels like home. At this stage of organizational development and with my daughter’s words reverberating in my heart, I will not lose sight of the level of care and determination that we all have put forth to get LO to where it is today. We will continue to earn all of the support that we receive because I believe that LO is an invaluable community resource worthy of being attentively cared for and stewarded.
Through all of this, LO’s volunteers have been here, leading outings, sharing their voices and stories, and redefining what it means to be outdoorsy. Their time, energy, ideas, skills, and leadership are the lifeline of LO, and without them LO would not be thriving as it is today.
As I celebrate my seventh anniversary as a LO staff member with just one month left in our ten-year celebration, I can’t help but think about what this community and organization has provided me with. Being immersed in an environment that prioritizes a sense of belonging together with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive alongside a network of leaders, has helped me evolve into a truer expression of myself. Engaging with LO leaders in our Vamos Outdoors outings program has proven to me that the fullest expression of self-love is an extension of our own healing, empowerment, and life force to those around us. I know that many LO leaders have had a similar experience, and this is the place where we become kin. To engage in this work with them feels like coming home and has been the experience of a lifetime.
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 migente, 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’recelebrating 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?
Growing up in South Texas, I never thought too much about my identity or socioeconomic status. Despite being a minority, the majority of the residents from Brownsville, TX, 94%, identify as Latinx. Similarly, my low-income experience was one that was shared by many of my friends and relatives. Because of it, I utilized something that was free and always available to me, my imagination. I remember exploring el monte with my neighbor Richie, and we’d both spend hours surveying the land and pretending we were Power Rangers. Additionally, our proximity to the US-Mexico border meant that I could easily traverse between two countries, something that I recognize as a luxury and privilege.
Before his passing, my grandfather owned and operated his own construction business, Grúas Valdez. My cousin and I would routinely spend our weekends with my grandparents in Matamoros, Mexico, and we would use my grandfather’s mechanic shop as our own personal playground. In hindsight, it wasn’t safe, and I would not recommend it, but on the rare occasions my grandfather pulled himself away from work, he would bring us along on one of his many fishing trips to Playa Bagdad. Because he was a talented welder, he was able to construct and convert the back of his white Ford pickup to a truck camper, with bunk beds. To date, one of my favorite memories is waking up to the smell of the ocean and watching my grandfather fish. After several fishing trips, I began to notice how my grandfather’s demeanor changed from his typical fast-paced no-break perception of life to fully being relaxed. His place of respite was the beach, and his love for fishing always lured him back to the outdoors.
Unknowingly, these childhood experiences would ultimately shape my own love for the outdoors and encourage me to pursue a career in the outdoors. After graduating from Texas State University (Go Bobcats!) with a bachelor’s in sociology, I decided to take a giant leap of faith and move to Washington, DC. At the time, I felt prepared to tackle the world, but I had no clue how I would go about it. I’d be lying if I said it was easy because it was not. I spent my first few years working odd jobs, and one morning I decided to take a detour and came across a welcome sign for Rock Creek Park. The building was closed, but a ranger opened the building. I spoke to Ranger Einberger, and I mentioned my interest in volunteering my time at the park. He shared his interest in expanding their programmatic and outreach efforts to reach the Latinx community, and I gladly jumped at the opportunity. Thereafter, I’d spend every weekend working the front desk welcoming visitors, and leading environmental programs in Spanish! While I led programs in Spanish, I realized that I rarely interacted with other individuals who looked like me and were doing environmental work as a career. With a click of a mouse and various key phrases later, I stumbled across an interesting organization, Latino Outdoors.
I read about their work, their mission, their vision, and discovered that they had a local presence in DC, so I emailed them and eagerly waited for their response. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long and heard back from Nydia Gutierez. She invited me to one of their outings to meet the team and learn more about their local work. I was already sold from what I read about the organization online, but meeting other individuals who shared similar interests was refreshing. After that first outing, I shared my interest in the organization and my commitment to reconnecting other individuals to the outdoors. The universe works in mysterious ways because Nydia and I are both from Brownsville and coincidently went to the same high school –we actually graduated a year apart! Also, the other individual that I worked alongside would become an elected official in Congress and represent New Mexico District 2, Gabe Vasquez. I consider myself extremely fortunate that both Gabe and Nydia took me under their wing and allowed me to grow as a professional and as a person.
For the last seven years, I’ve had the opportunity to represent the organization and work with others in engaging and reconnecting underrepresented individuals to the outdoors. Through kayaking, backpacking, hiking, trail running, camping, and many other activities, we’ve served the mission of Latino Outdoors in the DC area. Our work would not be successful if it weren’t for our amazing partner and our local community. The individuals that attend our outings entrust us to introduce them to new experiences and, most importantly, to have fun. Moreover, our outings provide visible representation by reclaiming our narratives in physical and digital spaces. Above all, Latino Outdoors is a community, so if you see us, stop by and join us.
Albert works as an environmental consultant and volunteers as the DMV Program Coordinator for Latino Outdoors. Albert is committed to increasing access to the Latinx community to public lands and educating students about opportunities for careers in the environmental field. Albert is a Senior Chesapeake Regional Fellow for the Environmental Leadership Program and leads the DEIJ committee for the establishment of a new National Park, the Chesapeake National Recreation Area. He has a bachelors in Sociology from Texas State University and is completing his masters in Sociology from New Mexico State University. He currently lives in Maryland with his husband, Lisandro, and his two dogs Bruno and Camila, and as a family, they love exploring and visiting National Parks.
