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Tag: #yocuento

The Voices of the Rio Grande: Reclaiming Connection to the Outdoors on the Border

Por Marisol Vazquez

For many, “outdoor recreation” flashes images of someone hiking in national parks, camping under the stars, or backpacking through forests. But in South Texas, “outdoor recreation” can mean fishing, hunting, or carne asada. For those of us living on the border along the Rio Grande—especially in cities like Laredo, Texas—our connection to the outdoors looks different, but it’s no less real or meaningful.

Growing up here, the river wasn’t just scenery—it was survival. It’s our primary water source, a sacred space, and the heartbeat of our community. The outdoors to us means walking along dusty roads, fishing with uncles on the weekend, or gathering under mesquite trees for that stretch past sunset. We engage with the land through necessity, tradition, and love. Nature here isn’t always green or gentle—but it’s alive and deeply interwoven with who we are.

My personal connection to the outdoors wasn’t inspired by nature documentaries or summer camps. It was because I saw the importance of protecting and conserving the Rio Grande to ensure Laredo is habitable for future generations.

Outdoor engagement must be redefined to include experiences like ours—those rooted in survival, stewardship, and everyday life. We may not have high mountains or tall pine trees, but we have ritual, respect, and history on this land. The outdoors should welcome all forms of connection, especially those that have been ignored or undervalued.

Unfortunately, access to nature along the border comes with barriers. Militarization, pollution, and limited green space often make the outdoors feel like a restricted zone. The river that nurtures us is also guarded by checkpoints and fencing. There’s fear—of surveillance, of displacement, of contamination. Even public parks feel political when you grow up in a place where your backyard is a border.

Still, we find ways to reclaim it. That’s why it’s so important to create an outdoor movement that sees and values diverse experiences. The more we include people like us—who may not look like the “outdoorsy” stereotype—the more we restore justice to our relationship with the land. The Rio Grande reminds us that nature isn’t just out there. It’s here, at home, and it deserves our protection and belonging.

Marisol Vazquez is a recent graduate from Texas A&M International University, where she majored in biology. She aspires to ignite a passion for the outdoors in her community by advocacy, education, and outdoor activities like kayaking, bird watching, and hiking. Marisol’s outdoor adventures began in California, where she learned to kayak and rock climb and gained a love and appreciation for nature. 

Advocacy – From Local Parks to Public Lands – Joining Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective

Por Jazzari T. Taylor, Policy Advocate, Latino Outdoors

At a time when many of our communities are facing threats to safety and belonging, it’s more important than ever to voice your concerns and ensure that the outdoors remains a place of healing and empowerment. The fight for social justice is deeply connected to the landscapes we protect because the right to feel safe and welcome in nature is part of our shared responsibility to build a better life – one that preserves our cultures, affirms our compassion for others, and protects fundamental human rights.

Earlier this month, I joined the Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective’s kickoff retreat in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Grasstops Collective is designed to strengthen outdoor advocates for human-powered recreation to protect public lands and waters through policy and leadership. As a Policy Advocate with Latino Outdoors and Chair of the Parks Now Coalition, this experience gave me a chance to connect with advocates across the nation, build skills, and reflect on how our collective work can advance outdoor equity from the local to the federal level.

Days before meeting in Colorado, I came from a Parks Now Coalition fly-in with local organizations from across California, where we gathered to advocate for outdoor access and equity in the outdoors, including investments at the state level. Coming from this powerful local gathering into the national Grasstops Collective, I was reminded of the deep importance and connectivity of local communities’ experiences in the outdoors and the larger landscapes, no matter their jurisdiction. All levels of government must work together alongside Tribes and communities to address environmental justice, equitable access, and the preservation of our shared natural heritage.

 This year marks the 119th anniversary of the Antiquities Act, a vital tool that allows presidents to designate national monuments and has been used by Tribes to protect lands and waters from harmful development. As some seek to weaken this authority, it’s critical we uplift the leadership of Indigenous communities and defend their right to protect sacred places through national monument designations. 

“The Outdoor Alliance is a coalition of human-powered outdoor recreation groups united to protect public lands and advocate for the interests of outdoor enthusiasts.”

Outdoor Alliance’s 2025 Grasstops Collective cohort. Photo credit: Holly Mandarich.

Our local parks serve as gateways to the biodiversity and interconnectedness of the outdoors and the many ways to recreate. Your experience in the outdoors matters, and so does the ongoing work to protect these spaces for generations to come.

During the retreat, our cohort explored themes of conservation, climate resilience, and public engagement. We heard from policy leaders like Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, and Patrick Donovan, State Director for Senator Michael Bennet. These discussions gave us insight into how policy is shaped and how important it is to bring community perspectives into these conversations. They also emphasized the need for collaboration to ensure the outdoors is truly for all.

As I shared in the official press release,

“I’m excited to be part of the Grasstops Collective to strengthen my advocacy skills, connect with other leaders, and shape the future of outdoor access through conservation policy. I look forward to bringing these tools back to my community and network to welcome others into this space and drive lasting policy change.”

Connecting with other advocates from across the country made it clear: while our landscapes may differ, our shared commitment to justice, conservation, and community power is what unites us. These relationships help us grow stronger and more effective in the work ahead.

Yo cuento. Tú cuentas. Nuestros cuentos tienen poder.

I matter. You matter. Our stories have power.

Our collective stories have power, and they help move this work forward. If you haven’t shared your outdoor experience yet, we encourage you to do so. Consider submitting your story to the Yo Cuento blog, use your own social media to reflect on what the outdoors means to you, or have conversations within your community – share many ways you like to recreate in the outdoors.

Let’s keep building a movement where everyone belongs. Share your voice, stay engaged, and connect with us, outdoors and in community.

Visit the Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective to learn more about the full Cohort 2 and help Take Action.

Press Release

Nuestras Tierras: El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro 

por Luisa Vargas

Public lands are crucial for the preservation of history, conservation of land, and public access to nature. They are areas of land and water that U.S. citizens own and are managed by government agencies and, at times, by sovereign nations. They encompass ancestral homelands, migration routes, and other culturally significant places for Indigenous Peoples who have been forcibly removed.

In this blog series, we’ll be exploring public lands in the U.S. that hold cultural and historical significance to Latine people. These places are currently at risk from recent staffing and funding cuts. Now more than ever, it’s important for us to recognize their past, current, and future significance for preserving our land and cultures.

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, or “Royal Road of the Interior,” is a 1,600-mile route running from Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico, that connected Spain’s colonial capital Mexico City to New Mexico. It was added to the U.S. National Trails System in 2000 as El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail and is currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. 

For centuries, Indigenous communities walked alongside the bison, coyotes, and foxes of the Great Plains into the arid land of the cacti, agaves, and yuccas in the Chihuahuan Desert regions. These foot trails linked their homes and cultures long before European arrival and the establishment of what would be known as El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.

In August of 1598, Don Juan de Oñate of Spain, also known as adelantado, arrived at Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo), a short distance from what is now Santa Fe, New Mexico. He successfully established the first colony in New Mexico after navigating several shortcuts along the route from Mexico City, including the infamous Jornada del Muerto, a 90-mile stretch of waterless desert starting in Las Cruces and ending south of Socorro, New Mexico. This successful bypass avoided a more difficult path along the Rio Grande that was impassable for carretas and livestock, allowing the movement of colonists and missionaries in New Mexico.

Image by National Park Service

After Oñate’s expedition, miners used El Camino Real as a trade route to transport silver extracted from Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and San Luis Potosí, and mercury imported from Europe. Like all trade routes, more than just goods were exchanged. Social, religious, and cultural links formed along the route, and Indigenous and mestizo guides helped travelers navigate the trail. We can see the echoes of these cultural exchanges, oftentimes forced, in surrounding communities today. 

As the route became formalized, parajes were established along the route. These were strategically located in terms of shelter, terrain, and water. People gathered, rested, and exchanged goods or information at parajes, which eventually became pueblos like Querétaro, Durango, and Albuquerque.

With the influx of people also came conflict, disease, and hunger. Pueblos along the route endured religious persecution, heavy taxation, and forced labor through the repartimiento system. These hardships, along with the destruction caused by foreign diseases, drought, and famine, led to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Po’Pay, a religious leader from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, led the revolt, driving the Spanish out of New Mexico and halting traffic on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.

Over the next two centuries, the trail saw periods of conflict and peace and permanent cultural shifts. The route continued to be used during the Spanish period (until 1821), the Mexican period (until 1846), and the beginning of American rule. The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad ended the traffic on El Camino Real, but railroads and highways like I-25 still run parallel to some original sections of the trail.

You can visit several landmarks along this public land trail. Please check before visiting any public trail sites for visiting hours and regulations. Trail sites may be privately owned, municipally, tribally, federally, or in state ownership.

Public lands provide access to culturally significant sites, including those important to Indigenous and Latine communities. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a historic route linking Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a key example of public lands that are rich in multicultural significance. These public lands face threats from funding cuts, highlighting the need for continued advocacy to protect these cultural landmarks. 

You can help us with our mission to protect public lands. We’re collecting stories that celebrate and preserve the diversity of the outdoors. Tell us your park story and share what public lands mean to you on the Yo Cuento blog.

Sources and Additional Reading: