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Tag: Latinas Outdoors

“Yo Cuento Outdoors” The Stories of Latino Outdoors. Part 9

“Vamos afuera” con Nohemi Mora

Latino Outdoors is a beautiful Latino-Led organization. These leaders are working to create a national community of leaders in conservation and outdoor education. Part of this work is focused on expanding and amplifying the Latino experience in the outdoors; providing greater opportunities for leadership, mentorship and professional opportunities and serving as a platform for sharing cultural connections and narratives that are often overlooked by the traditional movement.

“Vamos afuera” con Nohemi Mora who is an Outdoor Leader in Denver, CO and a first generation Mexican-American (and proud Tejana!) from Dallas, TX.

What are the earliest memories of you in the outdoors with a connection to nature?

My earliest memories in the outdoors connecting to nature are in Mexico. When I was in grade school my mom would take my brother and I to visit family in Guanajuato and Michoacan as soon as summer vacation began and we would stay all the way until the new school year started. I think of my visits to the rancho where my tios live. They would pick us up from my grandma’s house in their trucks. My brother and I loved the fact that we would get to ride in the back of the truck. Back then it took us hours to get to the rancho as there was a bumpy, dirt road that led us there. While we rode in the back with my cousins, we would drive past beautiful scenery. We would see green hills, plenty of farmland, and I remember we would count the number of lizards we saw scrambling across the dirt road (it was like a game). And once we got to my uncles rancho, it was a break from the concrete jungle of home. I loved following my aunts and cousins to the farm and playing amongst the cattle (calves are my favorite farm animal!), sugar cane, and rows of corn. These visits to Mexico definitely planted the seed in me to appreciate nature.

What is your story in relation to what you do now in the outdoor space?

I am an Outings Leader for Latino Outdoors in Colorado. It’s been an exciting journey as I had followed LO on Facebook for a couple of years before I became involved. At that time, the closest active LO group was four hours away from me and at the time it wasn’t feasible for me to get involved. However, when I moved to Denver it was one of the first things I got involved in besides grad school. I’ve led hiking and snowshoeing outings through LO, attended conferences and local events, and made connections with all sorts of environmental organizations. I want to provide opportunities for the Latino community to enjoy the outdoors even though some people think that they aren’t “the outdoorsy type”. I still have ties to Dallas and wish to encourage my friends back home to enjoy the pockets of outdoor spaces that we do have. Once I finish grad school, I hope to combine my interests in Student Affairs and outdoor recreation.

What makes the outdoors special to you and how do you keep that connection?

The views definitely always make an outing worth it but there is much more than that. To me the outdoors is special because it keeps me in tune with my physical strength, I can disconnect from the daily grind, have some time to reflect about the things that matter to me (solo hikes are awesome though sometimes scary!), and I can connect and learn new things about my friends when we go out together. I am very fortunate that at this point in my life I have somewhat of a flexible schedule so I can sometimes go hiking on a random weekday or have long weekends. I can just get in my car and drive into the mountains.

What is your favorite outdoor outing to date?

Love this question because it is very recent! Just this past weekend I went to Glacier National Park to celebrate my birthday. It’s my favorite outing because it seemed like such a distant reality from when I first came up with the idea. I saw an image of St. Marys Lake on Facebook about a year ago and told myself, “I’m gonna see that one day”. But I didn’t quite want to put those miles on my vehicle, and a plane ticket is very expensive. This year I turned 25, in a somewhat jokingly manner I wanted to celebrate by renting a car (since the rates are cheaper for 25+), as some kind of rite of passage. I specifically wanted to rent a Jeep Wrangler because I like Jeeps. I think they’re cool and embody the spirit of adventure (Jeep, sponsor me?). The drive up there is about 18 hours, the park being about 30 minutes from the Canadian border. Who would I go with? How will I get there? What if the car breaks down? What if we don’t have the necessary gear? What if all the planning falls through? I don’t know anybody in Montana! But I have amazing friends that simply said, “which weekend, so I can ask for the days off” when I told them about this idea. And slowly, piece by piece the trip formed. We borrowed each others gear, pitched in for new gear, and took off! I had a good group of friends there (shout out to y’all), that rolled with whatever uncertainties we faced when we got there. I really liked this trip because Glacier NP was on all of the group’s list of places to visit, and I loved hearing people’s comments on how amazed they were with the sights, or how different this experience was compared to other outings they have done. And of course the time spent with my friends whether we were filling up at a gas station, eating at Roadhouse Diner, stuffing ourselves with Takis, Cheetos, birthday cake, or struggling to build a campfire.

A sunrise or a sunset?

Sunsets! Mostly because I’m not a morning person. This question reminds me of a time I did a sunset hike in Acadia National Park. One of the most magical things I’ve seen.

Any advice you would offer to a person of color in the outdoor space?

Whether in a group or on a solo adventure, my advice is to take ownership of the space. These are public lands and the resources available are for your use. Whether you’re walking an urban trail or primitive camping. Go into the ranger station and ask questions, greet your neighbors at the campgrounds, say hi to people on the trail, get a state parks pass or National Parks pass. We got to let them know that we’re here and that we enjoy the outdoors too #YoCuento. And more importantly encourage other POC to join you as well.

What is on your outdoor bucket list?

My outdoor bucket list includes many faraway places. However high on the priority list is taking my parents, brother, and cuñada camping. My parents have a different view of the outdoors than I do. Growing up their families worked the land, depended on good rain, had spotty potable water supply, and they navigated rugged roads without hiking boots. In my generation, spending time recreating outdoors is more optional and our livelihood doesn’t depend on it like it did for our parents. I would like for them to have an opportunity where they can sit back, enjoy trails, and landscapes that they are unfamiliar with.

Thank you so much Nohemi for sharing your story with us.

I am so honored to be surrounded by ladies leading the way into the wild. This Texas girl in particular is not letting the fear of the unknown hold her back. She is slowly becoming a fearless leader representing her community and making sure her cultura is never lost on the trails. Every time I see her it’s a little bit of sunshine that just gets brighter every time. 

“She is where she is meant to be”.

This summer the Colorado team had the pleasure of camping with TIME to show them how they have found sisterhood in not only each other but in the outdoors. Check out the link “Camping in Colorado with the Women of Latino Outdoors“~ Time.

Wellness Walks 2016: Para el Bienestar de Nuestra Comunidad

This coming weekend, Saturday Nov 12,  marks the end of the Wellness Walks in Marin County for the year. It is another year of a successful round of monthly outings connecting families with the open spaces in their communities in the San Francisco Bay Area–and a feat worth celebrating!

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In the words of coordinator Alicia Cruz, who started the Wellness Walks in 2015, “during a difficult time, these walks saved me” and it was created “out of a sense of service to promote well-being, build community, and to create access for families that otherwise would not be connecting with their nearby parks and open spaces.” They simply started with Alicia wanting to explore the natural spaces in Marin, and sharing that interest, passion, and curiosity with her community.

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CA State Parks noticed and the Wellness Walks institutionalized under a partnership that provided monthly transportation support for a year with funding from the CA State Parks Foundation. Alicia worked with CA State Parks staff to provided guided hikes, nature walks, and other outdoor experiences for families that not only provided physical wellness but a space for cognitive and spiritual wellness, as well as learning about outdoors.

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Since then over 22 outings have taken place with many families visiting their state parks for the first time. For many, the walks provide an opportunity for family bonding, for a space to breathe from the daily stress, and to convene with others. For CA State Parks, it provides an opportunity to deliver on its mission to provide more access for more Californians–and for Alicia, it provides an opportunity to expand on the definition of an outdoor experience while establishing a clear personal connection of what holistic wellness can look like with nature.

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The success of the Wellness Walks in Marin is self-evident. But it is important to note that it is realized out of an intent and purpose of service. They started with the power of welcome and invitation, and have been sustained with the relationships of community, family, and volunteer support. While funding is essential to support the logistical work, it is the people behind it that actualize it all.

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As we close out the year, and as many of us face physical, mental, and spiritual stress, we invite you to take the time for healing and wellness with nature and go outdoors. It is also the time of the year many of us begin to reflect on gratitude and appreciation–and reconnect with our families and loved ones for the holidays. May a nearby trail and parkland provide the space for all of that, for yourself, with your family, and your community.

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If you’re in the SF Bay Area on Saturday, Nov 12, join us!

José G. González is the Founder of Latino Outdoors, a volunteer-run organization focused on celebrating Latino culture in nature and connecting families with the outdoors. 

Latino Outdoors Interview: A Conversation with Jessica Gonzalez

 

We always love profiling our leaders in the movement and in the field. Here is another interview in our series to showcase the individuals that embody the Latino Outdoors story, ambicultural leadership in action. Here is Jessica Gonzalez, a National Park Service program director in New York. 

Tell us your story, what is your connection to the land and conservation?

I grew up in Brooklyn, not exactly a spot known for its purple mountains majesty.  Growing up, my connection to nature was emphasized by my parents. My parents took messages to heart like “Recycle today for a better tomorrow”, and made sure to tell all guests at our house and even family and friends when we weren’t at home.  Although NYC is thought of as a concrete jungle, that’s not the reality. South Brooklyn is very green and I have been lucky enough to live on land that was previously farmland until the 1920s.  I’ve explored the waterways of Brooklyn in my kayak and used my bike to explore on land.  The dichotomy of living in a city with intense pollution in some locations and dirt so clean you can grow vegetables in it makes one aware of the value of clean land and the impact of humans.

We also had a house in the woods in Pennsylvania where we would just wander through the woods, see wildlife up close, and stargaze with a telescope off our deck. We explored nature because we could, and because we saw the value of interacting with a natural environment.

How is this connection celebrated in your community and culture—in the broader conservation community?

Gateway is lucky to have so many partner groups engage the park in an effort to connect their community members to nature.  Casual exploration is one of the best ways people encounter nature, especially in a big city. Nature doesn’t always have to meet a 6 hour trip to mountains, followed by camping without electricity and hot water.  So often people don’t enter a green area or walk up to an activity because they assume it’s not for them.  Through the Your Park! Your Health! program we invite new visitors, we seek out communities that may know know of our park programs or how they can participate. Your Park! Your Health teaches these new visitors skills they can take with them to other outdoor adventures and connect underserved communities to other wonderful park programs such as kayaking or camping.

We see huge numbers of youth volunteering to help protect, preserve and clean up natural areas. The desire for conservation is there, and people should understand that even little steps like recycling matter.

Latino/a identities are connected to the outdoors, the environment, and conservation—how are those words reflective of YOU, how is it expressed, what does it look like? 

Growing up, we explored, simply because we could.

Latino Identities are connected to the outdoors because they are surrounded by la naturaleza. I spent time in El Salvador and saw how integrated the villagers were with their natural surroundings, and it was the same interactions you see with all kids who live near open fields and hills and streams.

Connections to the outdoors to me look like families and individuals safely exploring, learning, appreciating the outdoors, but more importantly coming back, and maybe one day either working in their public lands, or working to protect them.

These words reflect my life because I remember all my life in my visits to my family in Puerto Rico hiking through the jungle, walking out of the house to pick fruit right off the tree, and how we were just surrounded by nature. Nature wasn’t something we had to travel to see, it wasn’t separated from every-day life.

While some us us (me included) may not have grown up camping in a tent, because as my parents said “ why should I sleep in a tent when I could sleep in a bed” it is becoming easier to learn outdoor skills. There is the assumption at times that we wouldn’t be interested in outdoor activities. Luckily I find that this is not a majority opinion and that Latinos are learning about outdoor opportunities through friends, family and the power of social media to de-stigmatize the perceived difficulty of outdoor activities.

What needs to change and how do we grow, celebrate, and have the broader conservation movement connect with the role and values Latinos bring to the field?

Latinos have had a connection to conservation since the beginning of the National Park Service. George Melendez Wright was a Latino of El Salvadorian descent and conducted the first survey of fauna for the National Park Service  In order to grow,  Latinos need to be allowed to leave the boxes they’ve been put in, which is to only work on “Latino” issues and to have a seat at the table for discussions over engagement, conservation, recruitment and retention. These are issues that affect all populations.

To truly move conservation, both natural and historical, into the 21st century we need to modernize. There is a great benefit from having access to institutional knowledge, but we need to continue modernizing our processes and reaching out to new audiences. Local communities should be involved in the conservation movement, and in those instances where agencies, communities and other interested parties have come together for discussions have resulted in more success due to the collaborative nature of the process.

Why does this issue and work matter to you?

As a Latina who had exposure to nature early on, I feel the need to help connect new and existing communities to the nature that surrounds them. I work in an urban park and I’m still surprised when kids or even adults are experiencing nature for the first time, without being behind glass.  A special joy is experienced when a visitor is taught about the world they live in and can bring those lessons home when they leave the park.

The Your Park! Your Health! team, based out of New York City leads a kayaking every other Tuesday night in the park. The audiences we serve are very diverse.  They are from different cultural backgrounds and with different life experiences. We are still amazed that we have to invite passers-by to kayaking. There is still the assumption that a recreational activity is not for them and possibly only available to people with money. There are countless studies that laud the benefits of exposure to natural environments. By increasing stewardship we ensure that new generations who support their public lands.

What does success in all this look like to you?

Support for our public lands is essential for everyone. Existing communities benefit from community involvement because many voices are more powerful than one. Good ideas come from many places and the conservation movement benefits from more people of all backgrounds participating.

How is your work with NPS reflective of all this?

My park, Gateway National Recreation Area,  has connected to the diverse communities surrounding New York City through the program Your Park! Your Health! (formerly Tu Parque! Tu Salud!). Every summer we bring a team of interns from the surrounding communities into the park to learn about the programs and activities that are available to the public and then host these same programs like Kayaking and camping for friends, family and the public and introduce them to the activities right in their backyard.

Last year we joined the movement to #optoutside the day after Thanksgiving and we’re happy to be hosting Latino Outdoors outside on a cool hike.  The year 2016 marks the 100th birthday of the National Park Service and we hope to continue helping all communities to #findtheirpark or #encuentratuparque.

One phrase we heard constantly is that people didn’t know these activities and spaces were open and available to them. It takes more than just showing up, sometimes it means holding out that hand and becoming a trusted ambassador for the park.

Jessica Gonzalez

 

Jessica Gonzalez is the Program Director of the “Your Park! Your Health!” program at Gateway National Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park Service.