For about three years now, my primary care physician has been trying to put me on high blood pressure medicine. I politely declined every time until last month; I woke up in the middle of the night from heart palpitations, I just laid in bed, focused on my breathing, and my mind started to drift off into a redwood grove. I’ve known for years that I struggled with high blood pressure, I would feel a pressure in my arm or my hands would start to throb or go numb. I learned to step away from what I was doing at that time and sit in a quiet space, close my eyes and think about what brings me peace; the redwood forest.
There is a special bond I have created with redwood trees, they give me strength, put me at ease when I smell the fresh scent of new growth and stress instantly releases out of my body as I spend time amongst redwood groves. It’s one of the reasons I often visit redwood parks in California.
One of my favorite parks to visit is Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The redwood grove in the park has a beautiful accessible trail that is great for families with small children, elders, and people with mobility limitations. The trail has an interpretive walk and people can learn more about the amazing redwood trees and why they are so important to our environment. On this visit I learned that redwood trees produce both male and female cones that can provide between 60 to 120 seeds which is incredible and a valuable source for preserving redwood tree growth. There is also a visitor center with tons of information on the park, redwood trees, wildlife and often there are activities for youth to participate in and information on park programs for families, school groups and visitors.
For me, having an accessible trail is important because of my limitations at the moment. My high blood pressure makes it hard for me to walk on trails with more than a 250 ft incline. I’m also learning to navigate an injury from a fall that has made my mobility limited, and I’m listening to my body when it needs to rest. I’m finding that slower movement has made me appreciate nature so much more. It’s easier to spot wildlife, observe moss up close, feel the soft bark on trees and hear the wind blow within the trees. It’s truly a remarkable feeling to spend some time in a redwood forest.
I’m so grateful for parks like Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park that offer trails like the Redwood Grove Loop. The grove provides a place of exploration, healing, learning and gives that WOW feeling. The loop will have you looking up at these beautiful towering trees that are so tall you cannot see the top from the ground floor.
I can honestly say that spending time underneath redwood trees has helped me adjust to the high blood pressure medication I was prescribed. I think the benefits of spending time amongst these ancient trees is beneficial to everyone, but especially important to those that have had to transition to taking medication, overcoming an injury or finding a balance for one’s mental health. Visiting redwood parks definitely helps me gather my thoughts, have deep conversations with friends and family. When I’m alone sometimes I find a place to sit and write in my journal or jot down notes of things to accomplish or changes to be made.
At the end of my walk on this visit, I felt grateful for my family, close friendships, and the ability to visit this special park not too far from my home in San Francisco. As I learn to work with a new medication and continue healing from a back injury, I know places like Henry Cowell State Park can provide a place of healing and wellness not just for me but many other people as well.
Last year we celebrated 10 years of Latino Outdoors. 10 years…
10 años.
Hearing it still lands with a joy and admiration, as well as deep appreciation for all the hands that guided it into where it is today. The hands, the smiles, the walks, the time, the showing up of all the many amazing volunteer and community leaders that make up the community of Latino Outdoors. And continue to do so.
We sometimes say that Latino Outdoors started out with a seed of an idea that was boldly planted, caringly nurtured, firmly rooted, and then supported into the growth of not just one tree, but a grove of cultura y comunidad.
And as this new year unfolds and we embark on the next decade, we want to put a particular focus on remembering and honoring our roots, nuestras raíces.
BREAKFAST DISCOURSE: YOUTH ENGAGEMENT at the Wort Hotel.
Now, it is easy to fall into nostalgia about roots. Or take them for granted. Or make them sacrosanct as if they are fixed in time and space.
But roots are not static things. They are living and growing elements of the whole being. They reach out and connect. They communicate with and through interconnected relationships with the ecosystem at large. They take from and contribute to the soil in which they are embedded. They are anchored in what they were, what they are, and what they can still be.
To me, this is part of the invitation to both honor and appreciate the roots of Latino Outdoors, while also continuing to nurture the soil they are in and not forgetting they are not immune to all that ails living beings.
When we first started, we knew we wanted to be rooted in what we felt was representative of healing aspects of our culture– I was and am a strong believer in the expression “La Cultura Cura.” At the same time, we did not want to perpetuate harmful aspects that were inherited and labeled as “part of the culture.” Toxic masculinity in the form of machismo, for example. I think this orientation will continue to be helpful as the organization and community grows.
All of that takes practice of course, and what helped when we started was also being guided by a sense of service, relationship building, and meaningful action that supported leadership development. This was reflected in two main ways:
First, during an early survey of LO leaders, we basically asked why they were here, giving their time, passions, and skills to this nascent idea when they could of course be doing this elsewhere. And they consistently mentioned three things: 1) they could be of service to the comunidad, 2) they felt that what they were doing really mattered, and 3) they could do it in a way where they actually could lead something and grow accordingly.
Second, I would often get some form of the question “where did you find all these amazing people?”—to which I would often respond with a variation of “oh, we didn’t Columbus anyone. The leaders were already there, they are just now more visible to you. We are trying to build the community and platform that makes that happen.”
Both still apply, in my opinion, and will still be embedded in the root work. Because those early ideas and values of network leadership principles are still present and nurtured by the organizational leadership. It is a type of “mycelial leadership” as I call it. And you may or may not know, that itself is part of what connects and nurtures roots.
I am excited about what the Latino Outdoors of 10 years from now will be like. How it will exist in ways that I was looking for when we first founded it. How it will be rooted in the ways that helped establish itself and grow and have strong roots that help it weather storms. But also, just as importantly, in the ways that it evolves and is interconnected in the ecology that is the community of this work.
Raíces containing the memory of its planting, while changing in and with the soil they call home.
José González is the Founder of Latino Outdoors. He is a professional educator with training in the fields of education and conservation while engaging in different artistic endeavors with art and messaging—often exploring the intersection of the environment and culture. He has broad experience as a K-12 public education teacher, environmental education advisor, outdoor education instructor and coordinator, and university adjunct faculty. As a Partner in the Avarna Group and through his own consulting, his work focuses on Equity & Inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. He is also an illustrator and science communicator.
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?
