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Category: Representation Matters

A Founder’s Perspective

por José G. González

The times an organization is founded are full of joy, excitement, hope, optimism, and certainly anxiety, stress, and uncertainty. They include going from an “idea” to an actuality with responsibility. And for all the highs and successes, they are often intertwined with visible and invisible challenges, and defeats. All of which of course are ultimately lessons and opportunities for learning. 

When it’s the work of our younger years, there is especially so much boundless optimism of what we can do. Ultimately, actually doing it, with some trial and error, tempers those creative fires into what is actionable. 

That is neither to diminish the successes or romanticize the work, but rather to genuinely celebrate what we accomplish, because at the end of the day, we bring something into creation that matters to us. That positively affects our communities, and it exists. 

The early days of Latino Outdoors were full of all the aforementioned feelings, emotions, aspirations, and more. If you were to ask me what the future of Latino Outdoors would be five years on from our first outing, I was not sure I would have an adequate answer to capture it– I would likely still be stressing out about the fact that our first cohort of leaders wanted to undertake programming. Do they understand how much responsibility that is? The liability? The training? That we have no money? And on and on, I asked myself. 

Of course I still had hope and commitment, because one thing that has been consistent since then is our volunteers’ own hope, commitment, not to mention passion and corazón. From the beginning our volunteer leaders have been the ones to make it happen, and Latino Outdoors exists because of that. My job was to do what I could to ensure the support and resources to facilitate that. 

When this all started, I was looking for “others like me”, and here you are, here WE are. You made the aspiration of JUNTOS a reality, you continue to do so, and I do not doubt that will ensure the success of Latino Outdoors into the future, regardless of the amount of resources we have and the scale at which we operate. 

We went from finding each other on social media to taking familias outdoors across the U.S. From a WordPress blog to screening a film at the White House. From a small group of mothers with strollers on the trail to programming partnerships with land management agencies, outdoor brands, and other kindred organizations. Latino Outdoors is ever evolving with our roots still grounded in community. 

When I first designed the logo for Latino Outdoors, the challenge was to represent gente, medio ambiente, y cultura. To capture people and the outdoors without limiting too much the diversity of the Latinx experience and scope–not an easy task in any way whatsoever. But I am proud of the creation. The sun represents a common element in many of our communities, while also pointing to the four directions. The volute glyph, in relation to the sun looks like wind or a wisp of a cloud, completing a natural element. But it is also the tlahtolli, symbolizing our voz, a statement of presence. Thus, all together, in the style of a petroglyph, they represent a mestizaje of human and non-human nature, an interdependent relationship grounded in cultura.

You’ve taken that logo across many landscapes, from urban centers like L.A., D.C., and N.Y.C. to distant nature such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As Latino Outdoors volunteer leaders, you’ve all put in the work for that logo to mean something and expand its significance. When people come across it and recognize it, it stands for the work you’ve all done and are doing, a collective reminder and invitation that can stand apart from the words. 

Speaking of reminders and invitations, what we do is not limited to the Latinx experience– every time people think we are being exclusive, they miss that point. That is our grounding experience as part of equitable work for that idea of an Outdoors for All– equality through equitable access, diversity through inclusive experiences. We provide a focused conversation on the Latinx experience (and in reality, a spectrum that captures Raza, Hispanxs, Chicanxs, and a broad mestizaje that honors indigenous roots).  While this is done so that our communities see themselves represented through intra-community valuation, it also allows for the inter-community relationship building that is vital to the growth and development of present and future constituencies that experience and protect our public lands. 

Yeah, you do all that; we do all that. At the end of the day, I think the words pride and humility are a close approximation of what I feel for you and the work you do.

In Your Blood

por Jasmin Antonia Estrada

My uncle came to this country in the bed of a truck. He crossed the desert hidden and hot; nature was not separate and he was connected. To the outdoor industry that I have become part of my uncles’ story is not the typical idea of an experience that builds one’s connection to nature. And though it was not a positive connection, it was potent to his relationship to the desert and to himself as part of nature.

He and many people who don’t have access to interacting with nature as a leisure activity deserve to have moments in nature that are not in passing nor fear. Moments that are not plummeted in the history of the wild and dark being used as a place for violence against themselves and their ancestors, for trauma, or seen as dirty for being in it—but as a place of positive connection, for growth, for home and exploration, a place that can be a refuge.

I was a kid, sitting in a red plastic chair with the words Coca-Cola written on the top, in the heat of Guatemala City.  The chair stuck to me no matter how I sat in it. A small parrot cooed. There was no distance between the outside and the inside; I was inside looking up at the sky heavy with weather. The hallway lead from the “patio” to the kitchen, no doors in between and when it rained you would get wet going from the bathroom to the kitchen. The kitchen would be filled with the smell of wet pavement and flowers bobbing under the weight of the midday shower. I was part of nature deeply, the mix of concrete and potted plants was the beginning of my understanding that there is no right way to be the part of nature that you are. 

“I was part of nature deeply, the mix of concrete and potted plants was the beginning of my understanding that there is no right way to be the part of nature that you are.”

Jasmin Antonia Estrada

The young people on the trips that I now lead are from wood and concrete structures. They know the taste of tap water and they feel the pollution in their lungs, they are connected. I found my place in connecting them to the trails and the mountains. They knew about the bus stops and the weeds that have the profound ability to break concrete. I wanted them to also see the rivers and the unadulterated morning light. To hear the birds. 

We were in the White Mountains at our campsite on the fourth day of two weeks on the trail with a group of majority youth of color we were debriefing the day late into the night, sitting in a circle recalling the success and learning moments. I remember this night is when we discovered that “together as a team, when we are on the same page, we can do anything.” The revelation of success. These young people who have never been backpacking before deciding that their group was a home they could have, that nature was a house they could thrive in. The rest of us didn’t notice it, but when it was Michael’s time to share he was silent. This look of awe and fear fell on his face, “Is that the moon?” the question fell out of his mouth so loudly as if forced out by his brain. We all looked towards the dark silhouetted mountains. The red sliver of the rising moon was sparkling over the peaks. “Yes, that’s the moon.” Miles responded slowly. We sat there in a contracted silence. Ten minutes passed. “I have never seen anything like this.” Michael had tears in his eyes, Miles put his arm around him, and we sat there, all slowly sharing the moon we all knew. 

I have many narratives of myself in the wilderness. My history as a mixed person, as colonized and colonizer, my experiences as a child being mesmerized by ants, my time as an educator coming to the understanding that there is no “right” way to be in nature. I have exhausted and am exhausted by the way I have presented my narrative to be part of white institutions, to express a difference yet a similarity that they are comfortable with. 

I can see that moon burned into my eyes, that moon for me is the positive connection that we all deserve. Not just the sunny days in a park, but the part of nature that reminds you that you are nature and that that is a beautiful thing.  He deserved this. There is no number of glossy photos or gear that can make you more or less part of it, it is in your blood, and it belongs to you, and that moon, it was Michael’s.

20 Latinx Advocates, Activists, and Conservationists You Should Know About: A Latinx Heritage Month Celebration 

por Christian La Mont

Beginning on September 15th (the Independence Day for several Central America nations) and serving as a bridge between the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall, Latinx Heritage Month (or Latino Heritage Month, or Hispanic Heritage Month, or LHM, or HHM) ended on October 15th. But the celebration is far from finished, and it doesn’t need to last just one month. 

Under the mountains of branded and marketed feel-good profiles of Latinx employees and artists this past month, there continues to be ongoing and serious internal conversations (entre nos) about our heritage: the term Latinx, about latinidad, about erasure, about colorism, about machismo, about generational prejudices and a lack of inclusion within our own community, about the lingering and painful legacies of colonization, about acknowledgement of Indigenous roots, about who we were, who we are, and who we want to be. 

While we, as a global Latinx community, continue to have these important conversations to dig into some potentially painful truths and explore our heritage, it’s also incredibly important to celebrate our differences, our common bonds, and our unique cultural identities, and contributions to the world as Latinx folks. Whether we are outdoor leaders or activists, whether we prefer the forest or the screen, whether we always feel seen or are yearning still for some sort of authentic representation, it’s important to remember that el pueblo unido jamás será vencido. The people united will never be defeated. Next week, the glow of HHM or LHM will have dimmed across marketing and communications departments, so it’s up to us (once again) to continue to acknowledge, appreciate, amplify each others’ voices, share and retweet, and celebrate Latinx heritage: past, present, and future. To keep the celebration going, I compiled a list, in no particular order, of 20 Latinx Advocates, Activists, and Conservationists You Should Know About:  

Teresa Martínez

As a Latina in conservation, Teresa Martínez has devoted her life working throughout the entire National Trails System. She is currently the Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition: “To know that I’m a small part of something that, for 50 years, has been protecting landscapes like this is pretty amazing…So there’s just this deep commitment to give back to that.”

Xiuhtezcatl Martínez

He’s an Indigenous climate activist, author, and hip hop artist who was most recently on the frontlines of the Climate Strike and Climate March in New York City. As the Youth Director for Earth Guardians, Xiuhtezcatl has been an active voice conservation since he was only six years old and he was chosen to serve on President Obama’s Youth Council at age twenty four: “youth are rising with the oceans to lead the movements that will shape our future” 

Álvaro Ugalde

Ugalde was a Costa Rican conservationist and is widely remembered as one of the fathers of Costa Rica’s system of national parks: “Without a vision and a sense of mission, there can hardly be a saga to tell or follow in any human endeavor…I believe, at least in conservation efforts, that there is no such a thing as a one-person show. The role of the leaders is to motivate and to enroll as many humans as possible in the pursuit of her or his vision, thus transforming it into a socially run mission.”

Katherine Lorenzo

Unapologetically owning her Afro-Latinidad, her heritage, her black girl magic and “Sazón Dominicano”, Katherine Lorenzo works to create spaces for underrepresented, marginalized and often ignored communities: “Owning my Afro-Latinidad has made me feel less alone, too. Yes, I work to give a voice to the Latino communities I organize in Nevada, but also to help other Afro-Latinos demand a place within the fight for a healthier environment. This space should belong to all of us. We have work to do.” 

Fabián García

As a first-generation college student at UCLA, specifically Chicana/o studies, Fabián became an employee of the U.S. Forest Service where he currently spends a lot of time inspiring and encouraging Latinx youth and families to get outdoors: “We’re a high-touch community…If we don’t see it in our community, we’re not going to pursue it. If our uncle isn’t taking us hiking in the woods, or our neighbor isn’t taking us out there — we’re not going.”

Solimar Fiske

You may recognize Solimar’s storytelling and narrative-changing talents from her Instagram account @takingupspaceoutdoors, a platform she uses to highlight the beautiful amount of diversity that is already outdoors: “Speaking for myself, in the outdoors I am taking up space as a member of each of these under-represented communities: women, women of color, immigrants, people with indigenous heritage, people of mixed heritage, working class people, people with large bodies.”

Melissa Cristina Márquez

Communicating on Twitter and Instagram, Melissa freely uses the hashtag #LatinaInSTEM. She is a Puerto Rican and Mexican marine biologist, founder of FinsUnited, and travels the world speaking about conservation and about the importance of diversity and inclusion in science: “I am a huge believer of “you can’t be what you can’t see” so I hope that through the platforms I am privileged to have, that I can not only showcase to people that scientists come in all shapes and sizes, but that I can shine a spotlight on other normally underrepresented backgrounds.”

Bamby Salcedo

As the leader of the TransLatin@ Coalition, Bamby’s work is aimed at changing the structures that marginalize the transgender community and is forming a multi-state coalition of trans-led organizations that provide services, space, and resources for trans and gender non-conforming Latinx people: “The most fulfilling part of this work really is seeing once-shattered souls blossom, watching gloomy eyes begin to shine and seeing your community thrive.”

Héctor Manuel Ramírez

Héctor is a Latino Chiricahua Apache, Two Spirits, who has autism and bipolar disorder. His work as an activist and community organizer focuses on the intersectionality of issues affecting people, families, and communities with disabilities. He sits on the Board of Directors at the National Disability Rights Network: “Maybe it’s about time we start dealing at things like hate, cruelty, and discrimination as public health issues.” 

Ana María Ruiz

As the General Manager for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, this trailblazing Latina oversees 170 staff members and is responsible for the implementation of the organization’s mission. After receiving degrees in geological and environmental sciences and then in urban and regional planning, she began her career with Midpen in 1998 and worked her way up to her current position. 

Griselda Galindo-Vargas, 

As the Principal at Brooke Elementary School, one of Vargas’ primary concerns is maintaining a safe and sustainable atmosphere for the kids in her after school programs. She has provided her students with beekeeping, gardening, and a butterfly gardening club in addition to keeping some chickens and rabbits around for kids to play with during recess:  “Being a high-poverty school, we have a lot of children with trauma and a lot of anxiety…so it really helps to have animals.”

Liliana Madrigal

An expert in clean water, environmental sustainability, human rights, responsible supply chains and more, Liliana is a native of Costa Rica and is the co-founder of the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT): “There is a codependency between indigenous communities and the rainforest. Without the rainforest, these people cannot practice their traditions and lose their sense of identity. Without these people, there would be no traditional stewards to watch over the land and the forest.”

Jessica Jiménez

In addition to being a Mexican American advocate for disability rights, human’s rights, the environment, and young people, Jessica Jiménez is also an alumni for YO! Disabled and Proud, is part of the National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities and builds youth power in cities like Long Beach and San José. 

Claudia Pineda Tibbs 

This Salvadoreña-Americana is a scientist, birder, nature lover, ocean conservationist and sustainability advocate. “In a world where the majority of environment and conservation advocates tend to be white, I thought it was vital to share my point of view and experience as a person of color in order to turn the tide and create equity within this field.”

Marcos Trinidad

Marcos has spent his life making the world a more just and equitable place through his outreach and community engagement efforts. He currently works as the Director of the Audubon Center at Debs Park in Los Angeles: “I pay close attention to our feathered friends in the sky, I listen to the songs they sing. I listen because birds tell us a story about our neighborhoods.  They tell us about the health of our communities. We just have to listen. Urban nature is such a joy to follow because our lives are overlapping with so many different species that are so magical. If we can appreciate the magic in them, we start to appreciate the magic in ourselves.”

SPECIAL MENTIONS:

Environmental Activists Under Threat 

Many activists for the environment and for their community are under daily threat. Some have lost their lives. Some continue the work despite the dangers they face. Environmentalist deaths are rising at an alarming rate around the world, many of them Latinx and Indigenous.

Latino Outdoors Volunteers and National Team Leaders

As a volunteer for Latino Outdoors, I can gladly say that I am surrounded by outdoor leaders, activists, and changemakers who inspire me every single day. As a national organization that has teams in regions from the East Coast (welcome aboard, LO Connecticut and LO Arkansas!) to the Southwest and up the West Coast to the PNW, there is no shortage of reasons to celebrate. Our volunteers spend their week organizing and engaging in community outreach so that on the weekends we can introduce familias and comunidades to the outdoors – whether it’s an urban garden, a visit to a local park, a city meeting to advocate, or helping maintain trails in beautiful open spaces. On our website, you can click on the “Our Team” section and learn all about the amazing storytellers, activists, advocates, teachers, conservationists, and community members that make up the LO family. 

Every individual story above is part of a larger canvas of stories and histories: that of Latinx folks fighting the good fight. We’re not a perfect people, there’s always room for growth, but community, caring, and culture are part of our heritage. Let’s never stop celebrating that. 

Happy Latinx Heritage Month. #RethinkOutside