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.
Once upon a park in the Texas Hill Country. The year was 1987; the location was Garner State Park. The cast of characters was a best friend of mine who was a summer regular with her family at this park and me, with no camping or hiking experience, nada. The only parks I knew of were the city parks and a small local lake or two. I loved adventure and a good road trip. So, when my friend suggested we camp out for the weekend at Garner, I was quick to say YES! She was the first friend to suggest hiking and camping to me. She said her family went every year. That was good enough for a 20-year-old me … vamos afuera. A quick reminder, there was no social media, no Facebook/Instagram/Twitter y menos, el Tik-Tok in the 80’s.
Growing up, I never heard any mention of careers that involved parks. The few magazines, TV shows, or movies I watched or read that involved camping or hiking never had anybody that represented my culture or community. So, I was intrigued by this adventure in nature. What a cool opportunity, I thought. I even remember feeling a sense of empowerment. If I survived this weekend under the stars, then maybe I was stronger than I thought. My friend said the park had no wildlife we had to worry about, (como osos) and that was good enough for me. Little did I know then that this trip would connect me to nature in the most beautiful way. “The star at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.” These lyrics from a country song I heard growing up, now really meant something to me. My perspective of nature took a whole new meaning.
“Camping and hiking sounded so foreign, yet the connection to La Madre Tierra was even closer than I ever imagined. It wasn’t until that camping trip to Garner that I saw nature in a whole different way.”
I was born and raised in San Antonio. The schools I attended and the community I grew up in were primarily Latino. I never thought I was missing anything growing up. I had a beautiful family, tons of cousins, great friends, and what I felt was a good education. My dad took me to Disneyland Park every summer, and I had a Sweet Sixteen. One set of grandparents had chickens, ducks, roosters, and a horse my dad bought me because he said I asked for one and that it was a good deal, haha. The other set of grandparents had beautiful roses and banana trees in front of their casita and the back was full of cilantro, tomatoes, chili pequin, y cebolla. My mom was the oldest of thirteen and my dad the second to youngest of seven, and here I was, their only child. I never quite felt alone because I had so many cousins close to my age. My parents met in Middle School and married right out of high school. My dad was a migrant worker from the ages of eight to fifteen. The family would travel to Indiana and then Michigan every year “al Norte.”
His love of fruits, vegetables, travel, and the outdoors was a huge part of his youth. The road trips to Disneyland in California were his idea of taking me to a park. My youth was spent outside playing with my friends y familia. My parents divorced by the time I was 5. My mom moved to an apartment complex, and that is where we lived till I started high school. I learned how to roller-skate, ride my bike, and practice cheerleading and dance routines. I met my best friend there, and we are still in touch to this day. My relationship with my Dad stayed strong, and I love my mom dearly for not letting what didn’t work out for them affect my relationship with my dad.
Pictures of Josie during the past ten years.
My first steps were afuera in my abuelitas yard. We celebrated birthday parties, graduations, anniversaries, and even Easter at the local city parks. I learned to speak Spanish, and my culture was celebrated all around me in the food I ate, the music I listened to, and the travels to Mexico, where my grandparents still had family. Camping and hiking sounded so foreign, yet the connection to La Madre Tierra was even closer than I ever imagined. It wasn’t until that camping trip to Garner that I saw nature in a whole different way. It was a combination of my youth and the possibility for my future that left me speechless in the wild. Standing in the middle of the clearest river, surrounded by hills, listening to the birds sing as they flew from one magical cypress tree to another. The sun was shining, and I stood there and listened. This space made me feel vulnerable, happy, strong, silly, naïve, independent, fearless and so much more. My soul stirred, and it was at that exact moment I knew I would be back.
I did return to that park for many years as a friend, mom, daughter, sister, aunt, and grandmother, and in the last seven years, as the Program Coordinator for Latino Outdoors. I wanted everyone I cared about to feel what I felt in nature and to create their own adventures, make beautiful memories and feel the sense of empowerment I felt. I knew they would never forget how they felt. I just had to get them there, afuera.
Josie with the Latino Outdoors flag.
That first park was just the beginning. I learned more about a Texas state agency, The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). In addition to protecting wildlife and their habitats, their mission is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreating opportunities for the use of enjoyment of present and future generations. The Texas Parks are celebrating 100 years of Texas State Parks in 2023.
I learned about these parks in 1987. But once I did, I shared this with anyone who would listen. It wasn’t as easy back then; there was no YouTube to show you how to put your tent up, much less Eventbrite to sign up for a how-to class.
“Then one day, I got a message on Twitter asking me if I would like to be an Ambassador for Latino Outdoors in San Antonio. It was a quick YES! There was no way I wasn’t going to be a part of this journey.”
It wasn’t until my girls were young adults that I was blessed with a sweet granddaughter. I had more time to explore and wanted to take her to the parks her mom had enjoyed as a child. The year was 2015, and my granddaughter was four. I was researching the outdoors on social media and discovered Latino Outdoors on Instagram. I saw myself in the images they shared. I noticed they had plenty of beautiful outdoor images of Latinos hiking, camping, backpacking, swimming, fishing y mas. I also noticed none of these images were tagged in Texas. I wanted to be a part of this new community. So, I tagged them every chance I got with outdoor Texas images. Then one day, I got a message on Twitter asking me if I would like to be an Ambassador for Latino Outdoors in San Antonio. It was a quick YES! There was no way I wasn’t going to be a part of this journey.
Latino Outdoors was still in its early stages as an organization in 2015. We had no monthly budget for outings, and at the very beginning, I became very resourceful. I introduced myself to anyone in charge of the outdoor spaces I wanted to visit and learn more about, not just for myself but for possible future outings with the Latino Outdoors-San Antonio Chapter. I tabled at any outdoor event possible, joined in on the ones that were exploring, and was consistent on the new Facebook and Instagram pages I created. No one knew about Latino Outdoors. The organization had just a handful of chapters in California. They had no clue about the outdoors in Texas. This would be my chapter to create, nurture and grow. My daughters were now young adults, and that left me more time to explore. I wasted no time. Just like I made sure my daughters went camping, hiking, and tubing down the Frio River, as part of their youth, I now had a sweet four-year-old granddaughter that I could take along on this Latino Outdoors journey. This year she will be a teenager, and I am so proud of her. She has been a huge part of the San Antonio Chapter and, most recently, even helped me with a LO presentation for the Texas Parks and Wildlife; not kidding. May her love for nature nurture her soul always.
The first few outings were with family, friends, and co-workers. I made sure to take images of these beautiful spaces and share what we saw and learned from our outings. I knew from the beginning that this chapter was going to grow. I just had to make our foundation strong and sprinkle it con amor, authenticity, adventure, and respect for all the places we visited. People often ask me if I have had any negative outdoor experiences with our groups. The answer is no. I never just show up, and I always make sure I contact the parks we will be exploring. I want to share these spaces that belong to us all with my Latino community. I want to ensure that our voices are being heard and that our history y cultura are valued and represented. I want to hear kids say, “When I grow up, I want to be a Park Ranger, Wildlife Biologist, National Park Service Director, the United States Secretary of the Interior.”
I was not getting paid to be an ambassador con Latino Outdoors, but I knew how important the platform I was given a voice and space to shine would be. I am so proud of the last seven-plus years con LO. Our foundation is respect and kindness for each other to create meaningful and lasting relationships that go beyond the outdoors. Juntos, we bring out the best in each other. This is how we learn and grow.
Obstacles will come and go, but I always say to listen to the universe and make sure to have a plan A, B, and C. Always have snacks, hydration, your first aid kit, and great company to laugh with when things don’t go as planned.
“I want to hear kids say, “when I grow up, I want to be a Park Ranger, Wildlife Biologist, National Park Service Director, or the United States Secretary of the Interior.”
Seven years ago, I took a chance on me and in the process, I have become more curious, stronger, daring, bold, gutsy, confident, and so proud and vulnerable to be a Latina Outside. In keeping our cultura alive I want us to fearlessly embrace our individuality as we protect and take space on the land we love and protect.
I am so proud of the Texas Chapter and what our Leaders, volunteers, and community have helped create. We somehow all found each other and continue to authentically grow. We are familia celebrating each other, our gente, our tradiciones, y la Madre Tierra.
I have learned to kayak, backpack, not shower for four days, lol (but seriously), make fire, pitch my own tent, sleep in cold weather, travel to National Parks I only dreamed of, and even visit the White House on this journey con Latino Outdoors. I hold space on councils with Texas Parks and Wildlife and National Parks Conservation Association. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this. I just wanted to share my love for the outdoors, one park at a time. I realize now that this was just the beginning of the work that still needs to be done. I know that in my lifetime, I won’t fix every issue in conservation and solve every inequity in representation and beyond. But I do promise to do what I can as I continue to learn and grow with my newest role as “Regional Coordinator for San Antonio, Texas.”
I am not a complainer; I am a doer. I believe in myself, my family, and my community. There is a need for the connection we seek as we are validated and included in these open spaces. It all starts with you. Take a chance and change is ok at any pace.
