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Just Your Average Latina – Pt II

por Kaitlyn Medina

In February ’19, we met Kaitlyn Medina, an outdoor, experiential educator—you know, Just Your Average Latina. At the time, she was on her way to Patagonia and Cuba to co-lead a 90-day gap semester.

Well, she’s back. And her stories have us doting on her!

“This semester was one of my favorites in terms of the Itinerary. The first two months spent in Patagonia/Chile were unbelievable. It felt like I was dreaming, being able to spend so much time outside and in places that not many people get to see in their lifetime. Cuba was a major throwback! We stayed in a small town along the coast named Matanzas, it was our homebase. The biggest take away from Cuba was from one of our guides, she advised us not to try and understand everything that we saw but instead just take it in. To accept it for what it was and not to overthink or over analyze. I’m such a curious being, so my default is to ask questions constantly about why things were or weren’t a certain way. However, her advice allowed me to remain present and refrain from prejudice or unfair judgments and accept the country for the colorful place it is.

As an instructor I was pushed to grow, to become even more flexible, be confident in my abilities, and ask for support even when I didn’t want to. During a 90-day trip you learn so much about yourself and your students. One of my favorite parts is the facilitation of activities that allow for vulnerability and openness. It can be difficult at times to create a group dynamic that’s inclusive, positive, and loving. I have students who come from so many different parts of the US, their experiences are different so managing that brings its challenges. With the help of my co-leader we can guide our students through their new experiences. We give them a space where they can feel free to be themselves, express their ideas, but also learn how to co-exist with others. We find it easy to forget to connect with another person when we focus in on the negatives. So, what we help foster is creating connections with each student in positive and uplifting ways.

Managing group dynamics is tricky business, it’s never something that is just fixed or that just becomes great, you constantly work at it to maintain it. As instructors, we’re intentional, communicative, open, honest, and patient. There were times during the semester where I felt like I made a mistake in choosing to follow this career path. It takes a village to run a semester successfully. I’ve grown into someone who’s learned that reaching out is a good thing, to collaborate to make the experience a better one, and to be confident in my abilities.

In the end, I’ve learned that it’s all about enjoying life. Keeping a positive outlook and reminding myself not to take anything too seriously. That allows me to appreciate my job for what it is, and I love it.

I’m stoked for my next trip, which will be in Hawaii. Leading a two-week trip with some awesome folks, doing some service work, surfing, and all while camping on gorgeous beaches. Mientras estare en San Gabriel Valley. If you want to go on a hike, need a climbing buddy, or want to hangout outside let ya girl know.”

Conoce a Jessica Zamudio, nuestra nueva Líder de Excursiones en la Florida

Por Jessica Zamudio

Me enteré de Latino Outdoors en el 2015 cuando participé en la Academia del Servicio de Parques Nacionales. NPSA (por sus siglas en inglés) es un programa dirigido a través de la Asociación Estudiantil para la Conservación, que se centra en la construcción de conexiones entre la juventud subrepresentada y los parques nacionales. A través de mis experiencias con organizaciones como estas he tenido el gran privilegio de aprender acerca de nuestras tierras públicas y la construcción de relaciones sólidas con estos espacios increíbles y silvestres.

Crecí en el condado de Broward, Florida. Mi familia viene de todas partes. Mi madre vino de Varsovia, Polonia cuando tenía unos veinte años y mi padre vino de Bogotá, Colombia. Al crecer, no participábamos mucho en  actividades al aire libre. No íbamos de campamento o de excursión. De vez en cuando íbamos a la playa a nadar, pero aparte de eso no tuvimos una gran cantidad de contacto con la naturaleza. Fue más tarde, cuando estaba en la universidad que empecé a interesarme en ampliar mis horizontes y explorar los lugares a mi alrededor. Es entonces cuando realmente empecé a desarrollar una relación más profunda con la naturaleza.

Me había trasladado a una zona del centro de Florida, donde había mucha más tierra subdesarrollada y con un estilo de vida más de pueblo. Mientras conducía por la carretera pasé por pastizales abiertos, viejos naranjos y pinares. A veces manejaba a través, de lo que más tarde descubriría, era un parque estatal. Me quedaba en mi coche y sólo admiraba los asombrosos bosques de pino y esperaba a ver un ciervo. Con el tiempo, tuve el suficiente valor para ponerme un par de zapatillas y probar una de las rutas de senderismo en San Sebastián Río Preserve State Park. Al principio, estaba aterrada. No quería ir muy lejos. Estaba segura de que una serpiente de cascabel gigante o una enorme pantera saltaría de los palmitos de sierra y estaría acabada. A pesar de mis temores acerca de este mundo totalmente nuevo, allí sentía algo que nunca había sentido en mi vida. Sentí una paz verdadera. Me sentí en un lugar tranquilo, la quietud que la ciudad nunca le había ofrecido a mi espíritu. Yo iba de un lado a otro, y cada vez que lo hacía, mi curiosidad crecía y, finalmente, llegué a un punto en el que quería más. Quería saber cómo podía pasar mi vida en estos lugares. No sabía mucho sobre la vida silvestre o las plantas y los árboles, pero algo dentro de mí me dijo que siguiera adelante.

En el 2014, una rápida búsqueda en Google me llevó a la página web de la Asociación Estudiantil para la Conservación. Encontré un artículo sobre  la Academia del Servicio de Parques Nacionales y su misión de conectar a los estudiantes -de todos los ámbitos de la vida- con los Parques Nacionales a través de programas de prácticas. Apliqué, y en la primavera del 2015, fui trasladada al Grand Teton National Park donde iba a pasar una semana con desconocidos de todo el país, para conocer y explorar el parque. Nos encontramos con los superintendentes del parque, guardabosques e incluso el primer director afroamericano del Servicio Nacional de Parques, Robert Stanton.

El increíble equipo de mentores nos orientó sobre el establecimiento de la cultura del Servicio de Parques Nacionales y nos inspiró con historias personales. Anduvimos en raquetas de nieve, hicimos un paseo en carreta por el National Elk Refuge en Jackson Hole y conocimos a una tribu de nativos americanos de la región que compartió con nosotros su tradicional ceremonia de baile y tambores. Esa semana cambió mi vida y las oportunidades por venir sólo solidificarían aún más mi amor por la naturaleza.

Ese verano, continuaría la segunda parte de mi pasantía en el Parque Nacional Yosemite como pasante de producción de video y redes sociales. Fue allí donde conocí a Parks in Focus. Este programa de la Fundación Udall conecta a jóvenes desatendidos con los parques a través de viajes de campamento de verano. Cada niño recibe una cámara digital y durante la semana aprende sobre fotografía digital y actividades al aire libre. Tuve el honor de presentar este programa mediante un proyecto de video financiado por Sony. Estos niños me  emocionaron mucho; su apertura, su curiosidad. Algunos de ellos compartieron conmigo lo nuevo que era todo esto para ellos, cómo nunca antes habían visto un lugar como este y es más, nunca imaginaron que este tipo de lugares existiera. Me di cuenta de que yo era como ellos, sólo que un poco mayor. Todos estábamos allí, una parte vital de estos programas de diversidad; siendo expuestos por primera vez a las montañas y al aire limpio y fresco. Aprendimos a amar la tierra de una manera totalmente nueva. Las semillas de liderazgo estaban siendo plantadas y regadas allí. Se fomentaban futuros conservacionistas.

Hoy, mi viaje con la naturaleza continúa. Actualmente me desempeño como miembro del Cuerpo de Conservación de la Florida en Ocala, Florida. Soy miembro del Proyecto R.O.A.R. (Regional Outreach and Awareness Recruiters) para el Distrito 3 del Servicio de Parques de Florida. Mis objetivos son reclutar nuevos voluntarios para los Parques Estatales de Florida y AmeriCorps, así como educar al público sobre el mundo natural de la Florida. Debido a la generosidad que me mostraron programas como NPSA, llevo a cabo la misión de conectar las poblaciones con poca representación a los parques, con la esperanza de desarrollar el mismo tipo de amor que tengo por estos increíbles espacios naturales. Trabajo con lo que tengo. Por ahora, hago cosas pequeñas, como hacer folletos bilingües y enfocarme en establecer vínculos con organizaciones e individuos en comunidades marginadas. En un puesto anterior, en el Parque Histórico Nacional Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller, pude utilizar los fondos de subsidio del parque para conectar con una organización que atiende a las personas sin hogar. Con el apoyo de este parque, organicé un día de caminatas, natación y picnic para los niños del campamento de verano, sin ningún costo para la organización. Estoy agradecida de escuchar que la asociación ha crecido desde que me fui y la gente sigue regresando al parque en el verano, para un día de recreación al aire libre.

No estoy segura de a dónde me llevará este camino, pero estoy muy emocionada de continuar explorando, aprendiendo y compartiendo estos increíbles lugares naturales con personas de todos los ámbitos. Espero seguir aprendiendo del ejemplo de los pioneros de organizaciones como Latino Outdoors, para que yo también pueda contribuir a expandir la accesibilidad e inclusión de los parques a una amplia gama de personas.

Para aprender más sobre Jessica visita su página de Instagram.
¡Vamos Outdoors!

Just Your Average Latina

por Kaitlyn Medina

I’m just your average 26 year old Latina who hails from the San Gabriel Valley. My papis are both from Jalisco, Mexico but coincidentally met in the United States. They fell in love 30 years ago and raised 4 beautiful babies, and so here I am.

I graduated from California State University, Chico in 2014 with a degree in bilingual Liberal Studies, which prepared me for a career as a bilingual elementary school teacher. I’ve since held some amazing teaching positions that have allowed me to live all throughout Northern California, Ecuador, and Mexico, where I’ve met and interacted with so many inspirational humans.

Over the last two years I’ve made the transition into Outdoor Education. My parents have always encouraged a love for the outdoors, but it wasn’t until I moved to NorCal that I really fell in love with outdoor life. Backpacking through Lake Tahoe, going on weekend hikes at Bidwell Park, and swimming in the Sacramento River are just some of the many activities that fueled my appreciation and love for Mother Earth. So when I was given the opportunity to combine my two loves: teaching and being outside, there was no way I was going to turn it away.

“My parents have always encouraged a love for the outdoors, but it wasn’t until I moved to NorCal that I really fell in love with outdoor life”.

Kaitlyn Medina

Being a leader with ARCC Programs has allowed me to travel the world, teach, and have my classroom be outdoors. I lead groups of students on 3 month Gap Semesters. We, my co-leader and I, teach communication, leadership, and travel skills. We also facilitate discussions which touch on different themes, like environmental conservation, public health, education, and micro-finance, as well as country-specific social and political issues. We use the many places we visit as unconventional classrooms in hopes that students grow as more tolerant, appreciative and kind people.

This also has allowed me to share my life experiences, not only as a woman in the workforce but as a woman of color in the outdoor community. Throughout my trips I’ve had dozens of meaningful conversations with my students, especially the young ladies, about what it’s like to be an adventurer and the benefits that come with becoming an educated and strong-willed woman.

We talk about how it can be tough to be heard in a space dominated by male voices and the way society views us as weak or less than. We also talk about what it’s like to be a person who has an impact on others and how to use that platform to empower others.

I’ve been able to see that I have an impact on my students in many different ways, but it’s the small, subtle changes that make my heart the happiest—when a young woman speaks her mind in a group of young men without fear, when they carry their packs up mountains without seeking help from others, or gathering up the courage to perform a hidden talent in front of a crowded room. I can’t and won’t take all the credit because let’s be honest, they’ve always been strong, beautiful, courageous women, I just help them realize it’s been there all along, and that they should never shy away from their greatness.

I can feel a bit isolated, out of place, and sometimes even incompetent as a woman of color in the outdoor industry, but I’ve taken those insecurities and run with them, constantly trying new sports and activities. Never in my life did I think I’d be white water rafting in Patagonia, hiking the ancient Inca trail in Peru, sliding down volcán Acatenango in Guatemala, or scuba diving the Caribbean reefs of Honduras.

“I can feel a bit isolated, out of place, and sometimes even incompetent as a woman of color in the outdoor industry, but I’ve taken those insecurities and run with them, constantly trying new sports and activities”.

Kaitlyn Medina

I’ve learned that exploring unfamiliar territories, especially as a Latina, comes with fears and many unknowns, but it’s also exhilarating and life changing. I’m able to show my students, sisters, cousins, and friends that we can do anything. Despite the countless times I’ve been told, “No puedes hacer eso porque eso solo lo hacen los hombres,” this has only made me want to do it even more.

While I’m an excellent teacher, powerhouse leader and role model to my students, I don’t think I’m a picture perfect example or some idol that people should look up to, in fact I’m very much an imperfect being. I constantly look to my students and peers to inspire self growth and perspective on life because I’m still trying to figure out how to be a healthy, happy, and strong person. But I do know that by just following my love for being outside and doing things that bring me joy, my niñas can see that anything they want to do is possible despite the color of their skin, where they or their family come from, hardships they’ve faced, or any negative stereotypes that might be associated with them.

Being outdoors has allowed me to find balance within myself. I’ve learned to love my body and be thankful for all that it can do and where it can take me. I’ve learned to find peace in places that are so much greater than I will ever be and to slow down, smell and appreciate the beauty that is the wilderness.

If you’ve been thinking about being more “outdoorsy”, just go and do it. Push yourself a little out of your comfort zone. Who cares if you don’t have name brand gear? I literally hiked throughout South America in $15 shoes and $8 Costco pants. Someone once told me “The gear doesn’t make the athlete. It’s the person in the gear who determines who they will be.” So give it a try! Who knows, you might end up getting paid to hang out with really cool humans while you venture throughout South America.