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Category: Introductions to the Outdoors

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

Winter Hiking: possible, safe and fun

por Luisana Mendez

Repost from Huellas Latinas. See the full blog here

Winter came quickly, but that doesn’t mean we should stay indoors. Hiking is an activity for all seasons of the year. Do not be overwhelmed by low temperatures or lack of sunlight, and remember that we are not alone in this.

I am not the most experienced person when it comes to winter, but here are some recommendations that have worked for me. From now on, I want to invite you to be prepared to continue enjoying the different parks and outdoor activities during the winter safely.

General Recommendations to do Winter Hiking Safely

Hiking in the winter can also be a lot of fun. In addition, you can combine it with other activities such as snowshoes and even Cross Country Skiing. Thinking about the temperatures of Minnesota and its geography, you can take into account the following safety recommendations:

  • Research the conditions of the park you want to visit.
  • Check the weather forecast before heading out.
  • Always share with someone close the location of the place where you are going.
  • Dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
  • Plan your time, walking in the snow may take longer.
  • If you are hiking in the dark, try to use reflective colors or lights and / or a flashlight.
  • Carry the *10 ESSENTIALS.

Now let’s delve a little more about how to dress in layers and the best clothes to stay warm and dry while we go on winter hikes, among other no less important recommendations.

The right clothes and layers for Winter Hikes

Hiking during the winter requires you to be warm. Therefore, it is necessary that you wear the right layers of clothing you. Keep in mind that each body is different. I mention this because the natural production of heat during movement or resistance to cold is going to be different for everyone. I, for example, “am always cold.”

Returning to the topic, when we begin to walk, our body produces heat, and we may want to shed some layers of clothing. However, if we experience cold wind gusts, temperature drops, or an unexpected snowfall, we may want to bundle up again. Not all clothing works well in all thermal conditions. So I want to invite you to learn a little about layers and fabrics that can help us keep dry if we plan to go Hiking during the winter. Trust me; this will make a huge difference.

Layers: Wear a base, middle, and outer layer.

  • Base layer: The main function of the base layer is to prevent perspiration from remaining on the skin. This layer wicks away moisture to keep you warm and dry. Avoid using cotton because cotton retains moisture and you will end up wet, uncomfortable and cold. Instead of cotton, opt for synthetic fabrics or natural fibers.
  • Middle Layer: The middle layer is your insulation, primarily responsible for keeping you warm. When shopping for this cape, it is important that you look for fleece, down, or synthetics. These fabrics will help retain your body heat, preventing the cold from reaching you.
  • Outer layer: The outer layer, also known as the carapace, brings everything together, protecting you from the elements like wind, rain, and snow. Choose waterproof pants and jackets that are breathable and wind resistant. You can also consider wearing a puffy jacket to add an extra layer when you take breaks.

Keep your ears, hands, and feet warm: Ears, hands, and feet are most susceptible to frostbite. Keep your hands warm and dry by wearing gloves or mitts. Wear lined fleece socks and pack an extra pair in case yours get wet. Protect your ears by wearing hats, earmuffs, or headbands. Also, don’t forget to keep your neck warm. – Experts assure that mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves since the fingers can heat each other.

Additional equipment for your adventures in the snow and cold temperatures

For any hike at any time of the year, always carry the ten essentials with you. In addition to those essentials, I recommend reviewing your list and considering the following items you might need during winter hikes.

Backpack: Winter hikes require more equipment, and you will probably need space to store layers, we recommend using a backpack of 30L or more.

Navigation: Before leaving, I recommend downloading the trail map. You can use apps like AllTrails Pro and Avenza Maps. Keep in mind that phones and technology devices download faster in winter. It is important that you keep them in your chest pockets and that you consider carrying external chargers.

Footwear: Wear waterproof hiking boots for winter and consider wearing crampons. This will help keep you balanced and steady in the snow, as well as provide security and avoid falling on frozen roads.

Eyewear: Even in winter, sunny days are still strong. In fact, snow is the most reflective natural surface on the planet. Therefore, when the sun reflects off the snow, you risk snow blindness. Protect your eyes by wearing “glacier glasses” or polarized sunglasses.

Skin Protector: Cold and wind can be brutal to the skin. Avoid wind burns by moisturizing your skin and lips.

Trekking poles: Travel the trail with more ease and stability with trekking poles. Look for trekking poles that have snow baskets.

Hand and foot warmers: Always carry a pair of hand and foot warmers with you, these can be a great help for colder days and unexpected situations.

Hydration and Nutrition when doing Winter Hiking

For any hike, it is important that you include enough food and water. Even during winter:

Drink water before you are thirsty: Walking in the winter takes more effort and we may not realize that we are dehydrated when we are cold. So do not forget to drink water and stay hydrated as much, as in any other hike. Remember, hot drinks also help you hydrate.

Eat frequently: Depending on how long you will be walking, you may consider bringing a snack. Choose snacks that are full of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to help keep you energized.

Prevent Freezing: Use insulated drinking containers such as Nalgene, Hydro Flask, Stanley Thermos. Prevent the water from freezing by bringing it close to your body. Store your water bottle upside down, as ice forms on top first. Before the hike, cut bite-size chunks of snacks so your energy bars don’t turn into frozen bricks.

Avoid Frostbite

Whether you do an outdoor activity or not, I want you to keep this term in mind. Frostbite refers to the freezing point that occurs when skin tissues freeze, and most often affects the nose, cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes. That is why it is important that, during the winter, you are always warmly dressed

Luisana is originally from Venezuela and is a Civil Engineer and Urban Planner by profession.  Luisana is passionate about serving and experiencing the city through the senses. Currently, Luisana leads Huellas Latinas, through which Luisana develops community projects in various areas. Luisana is deeply committed to the empowerment of women and emerging leaders, as well as the human and sustainable development of communities.

#SanaSanaOutdoors: A Love Letter

por Luis Villa

We’re not as close anymore, so it’s been a while since my last visit. You look beautiful. Not surprisingly, you’ve drawn the attention of many others on this lovely day. You’ve always had that appeal. Where there’s a dearth of them, you’re a gem, and time and again, you find a way of making people feel as good as a ten.

Some, openly express the joy you inspire in them, as if hoping to impress you while reveling in their varied pleasures and passions in your presence. People of all kinds show off their strengths and abilities, vying for your attention, looking to connect.

Others are more reserved around you. I fall into this camp, leisurely and contemplatively walking, reacquainting myself with you. Whenever I’m here, the challenges seem that much more bearable. The troubles are not so troubling. I’m both nostalgic and forward-looking when I’m with you. You’re an oasis in the middle of too much.

I yearned for you before I even knew you. Then we met and my expectations were beyond met. You became an inextricable part of my life. Birthdays, gatherings with friends, special family moments, you were there for them. When I left, I always returned, no matter the distance. During our reunions, you centered me, reminding me of who I am and where I come from. And although you’re no longer a fixture in my everyday life, seeing you do for others, what you did for me brings me wellness and joy.

Maybe it’s silly, but I love you. Always will.

From left: Luis and his piñata at South Gate Park, Luis learning that he’s not going to the park, Luis enjoying the park more recently.

Luis loves parks, especially local ones. He grew up in southern California’s urban density and has had a close relationship with South Gate Park since he was a small child. Despite moving away, it continues to this day.