Latino Outdoors

"Half a century ago this month, six young activists huddled in a makeshift office in Washington, DC, making final preparations for the first-ever Earth Day. Throughout the spring of 1970, they’d been working long hours, planting a seed that would grow into a powerful force for global change. Arturo Sandoval was in his early twenties, already an experienced civil rights activist at the University of New Mexico, when a fellow rabble-rouser recruited him to the inaugural Earth D...ay organizing team. We were members of the generation that was coming of age in the 1960s that wanted to do more than what was expected of us, "A number of events and factors came together by the late 1960s. Famously, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught firethat made national news, and shocked a lot of people. I remember flying out to L.A. for an organizing trip and the smog was so bad, I couldn’t breathe. Meanwhile there were no meaningful regulations controlling particulate matter in the air, or pollutants in water. And there was no organized way in which we could express our unease, this sense that we were doing ourselves in. There was an environmental movement in the U.S., but it was small and disperse. It needed a spark. So Earth Day was the sparkit made the whole damn system go up in flamesin a good way, in the best way!by giving people a voice and a way to get really engaged and make caring for our environment a national issue... The methods of mass organizing for social change that had been forged by the leaders of these rights movements provided an effective model for the environmental movement to follow." - Arturo Sandoval Over 50 years after the first #EarthDay, the impacts of the climate crisis are being felt across the world. In the spirit of trail breakers like Arturo Sandoval and other organizers, the we join others as we continue the march towards a more green, just, and equitable world. As always, la lucha sigue. Read the full Trust for Public Lands interview with Sandoval here: https://www.tpl.org/blog/earth-day-arturo-sandoval : Arturo Sandoval with fellow Earth Day organizers in 1970. Members of LO Seattle during Climate Strike in 2018. #EarthDayEveryDay #EstamosAqui

If we pay attention to Nature, we can learn about the importance of diversity and balanced ecosystems...On this Earth Day, I am thinking about the connection between humanity’s social systems and the Planet’s natural systems. On this day, I am thinking more about sustainability than I am thinking about race, politics, or economics. I am thinking about the need for peace among ourselves and between us and our Planet. - Excerpt from #EarthDay Thoughts by LO Executive Director, Luis Villa. Read the full post in our #YoCuento blog and consider sharing your own story for a chance to receive an LO gift:

Dear disabled, sick, mad, neurodivergent fam: remember that you are also the Earth! You are a part of nature too. We can't be separate from the earth, we don't ...need to be "included" in nature, because we are already a part of it. Crip resilience is nature's brilliance! Dear non-disabled conservationists, ecologists, and outdoor professionals: An Earth Day reminder that disabled people are not scapegoats for environmental causes. If conservation and climate change initiatives don't include disabled people, you are leaving out an important part of nature. Image description in alt and comments. Image by @d.k.cissel

Every day IS #EarthDay. : Alleanna Harris

As the social distancing continues, let’s continue to work together! Join Latino Outdoors and Hispanic Access Foundation from the safety and comfort of your neighborhood for an Earth Day cleanup across the nation! Join us anywhere and anytime between now and April 25 on a socially distanced neighborhood cleanup. Para continuar con el distanciamiento social, sigamos trabajando juntos. ¡Únase a Latino Outdoors y Hispanic Access Foundation desde la seguridad y comodidad de su ...vecindario para una limpieza del Día de la Tierra que se llevará a cabo por todo el país! latinooutdoors.org//togetherapart-earth-day-neighborhood-/ #EarthDay #EarthWeek #TogetherApart

#NationalParkWeek Transformation Tuesday: "We live in a time of historical reconsideration, as more and more people recognize that the sins of the past still haunt the present. For Native Americans, there can be no better remedy for the theft of land than land. And for us, no lands are as spiritually significant as the national parks. They should be returned to us. Indians should tendand protect and preservethese favored gardens again." - Excerpt from the article "Return the National Parks to the Tribes" by David Treuer for The Atlantic. : Katy Grannan

It's National Park Week! This week celebrates the national parks and encourages you to #FindYourPark But we need to be honest: the parks have not been safe or a...ccessible places for everyone. It is difficult to get accurate numbers, but estimates are that fewer than 10% of national park visitors are disabled, while disabled people are 20-25% of the population. 70-90% of visitors are White. This is also reflected in the overwhelmingly White and non-disabled park staff. The parks have a diversity and an accessibility problem. We'll share some more information about the national parks and tips for visiting this week. ID: white text on an aerial photo of a mountain and rolling valleys reads national parks week. Parks were not created for all. #NationalParkWeek #ParksForAll #DiversifyOutdoors

Hola familia! Every Monday we're introducing or re-introducing an LO region and this week we're highlighting Latino Outdoors Arkansas! Sometimes our teams start with an idea or an individual with a passion to reach the Latinx community where they live. LO Arkansas Ambassador Enrique Fuentevilla is using his networks to continue promoting a more inclusive environment and be a bridge for both English and Spanish cultures in "The Natural State". If you're a Latinx person who loves the outdoors, lives in Arkansas, and have a story to tell, we'd love to hear it! Click this link to find out how you can submit to our #YoCuento blog: linktr.ee/latinooutdoors #EstamosAqui #Arkansas #LittleRock #RepresentationMatters #VamosOutdoors

Happy #NationalParkWeek, everyone! This week we'll be joining U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Foundation, National Park Service, and others as we talk about National Parks. Mon April 19: Military Monday Tue April 20: Transformation Tuesday Wed April 21: Wayback Wednesday... Thu April 22: Earth Day Fri April 23: Friendship Friday Sat April 24: National Jr. Ranger Day Sun April 25: BARK Ranger Day #EncuentraTuParque #FindYourPark

We agree with LO leader/volunteer, Cassie. Give this a watch!

#YoCuento "We are peoples of the land of the sea of the mountains and beaches. The outdoors is our right, our very breath, our heartbeat. We are all children of Mother Nature, and thus we long to connect with her. That’s what our single hike did for Christina she reconnected with another part of her identity, with another piece of her soul." Excerpt from Yo Cuento: Our Trip to Ecuador por Gabe Gómez. Read the full story latinooutdoors.org/2021/04/yo-cuento-our-trip-to-ecuador/ and share your cuento at latinooutdoors.org/blog/

When going outdoors together with la comunidad suddenly wasn’t possible less than three months into 2020, we didn’t know what the rest of the year would bring. It turns out that it brought incredible hardship and challenge, along with the opportunity to grow and renew our commitment to building an inclusive and equitably accessible outdoors. Read about it in our year-in-review: https://latinooutdoors.org//2021/01/2020-Year-In-Review.pdf

What is the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. all about? Join Outdoor FUTURE to learn about the purpose, goals, and upcoming activities of the initiative on their first-ever virtual event! We’ll hear directly from youth about the importance of this work, engage in an impromptu discussion with founding members of the initiative, and learn how we can help contribute to the reimagining of outdoor equity for all youth and communities!... WHEN: Tuesday, April 20th at 12pm MT/2pm ET REGISTER: outdoorfuture.org/101 See you then! #OutdoorFUTURE

Be like King, let's live the dream. #MLKDay

Thank you for the shoutout, LA Weekly! Learn all about the ongoing "Mapping Migraciones" project from Latino Outdoors, National Audubon Society and Audubon California and find out how YOU can get involved! PS Don't forget to submit your migration story and tune in to our next webinar on Thursday, May 6th!

Recreating responsibly is about people & places. Bring a face covering, avoid crowded/closed areas, practice physical distancing & build an inclusive outdoors where everyone is welcome. Be part of the #RecreateResponsibly movement this weekend. recreateresponsibly.org : Jazzari Taylor, LO Los Angeles

HAF is excited to announce applications are NOW OPEN for Our DREAMS Scholarship! If you’re an undocumented youth living in the U.S., you’re eligible to apply and receive $500 in monetary relief for filing fees. Apply here: https://bit.ly/OurDREAMS

Meet Ron Finley.

Have you heard I’ll Go If You Go, a Save the Redwoods League podcast? In this episode, Leslie Parra from Save the Redwoods League rings in the new year with Miguel Marquez. Miguel talks about his Mexican-American heritage, family time in redwood parks, developing his love for nature, and ultimately his career path as a Park Ranger. Check it out now: bit.ly/3bwSCbI : by Veronica Miranda. The photo was taken at a pre-pandemic LO SF's Vamos a Pescar outing.

Today is Election Day. Make your voice count. #YoCuento2020 #Vote #Vota

Calling all emerging Latinx filmmakers and storytellers! Head to outside.tv/november20 to submit your videos and join the community. Your submissions also help to support Latino Outdoors! More info:

Advocacy starts with you. #YoCuento #LaLuchaSigue : kahyangni via CalEndow on IG

Dear familia: it's okay to take a few breaths and moments for yourselves. Meditate, take a walk (wear a mask), do something you enjoy. Refresh, reenergize, recharge. Draw strength from those who have come before us. We will be here. Estamos aquí. #LaLuchaSigue Nerdy Brown Kid

#TrailblazerTuesday "During my 30-year career as a California state park ranger, I was known as the diversity guy because I was one of the few Latinos to wear the park ranger uniform. Similar diversity deficits exist across most park systems. The National Park Service workforce is only 5 percent Latino. And that lack of diversity among rangers is, unfortunately, matched by a lack of diversity among the people who visit the park. While we often think about parks as places for ...preservation - and they are - I am convinced the parks' ability to change and reflect the country's diversity is the defining issue for their future... As a park ranger, I heard stories from people who found inner peace among our redwoods, deserts and mountains and walked away with a sense of responsibility for our natural treasures. Yet among these stories, what always stood out to me were the voices missing." Gracias to Richard Rojas, Sr. LO Board Chairperson for being a champion for the voices that were missing from the mainstream outdoor conversation and coverage, for fighting for access to the outdoors and for dedicating his life to finding and lifting up the next generation of outdoors leaders. As a Park Ranger, then Supervising Ranger, Park Superintendent, Chief Ranger, and as District Superintendent for the Channel Coast District of California, Richard is a true example of community, conservation and culture. If you happen to follow Richard on social media or see him along the trails of Southern California, make sure to wish him a (socially distanced) happy belated birthday. Thank you for always keeping an eye on the future while honoring our past. Feliz cumpleaños, Richard! (Excerpt from a column originally written for Zócalo Public Square)

LO Leaders from across the country told us what they voted for in #Election2020. Special thanks to @irismarcelina @yo.hikeo.sola @josebilingue @urbanbirdeco @fitfunand @olivia.afuera @ahahahallen @range_jar @bolaaa24 @gram4_da_fish_fam. #SiSePuede #Vota #Vote Note: if you're in line to vote, stay in line until you vote! Contact the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE if you have any questions or face issues at the polls.

#YoCuento2020 Sebastian Moreno de Latino Outdoors Massachusetts nos dice por qué está votando. #Vota

#YoCuento2020 Janelle Paciencia from @Latino Outdoors Colorado tells us what she's voting for. #Vota

"Día de Muertos is a multi-day celebration with association to the Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. It involves gathering to pray for and remembrance of friends and family members who have died. There is some debate as to how much of it is based on indigenous pre-hispanic roots and how much of it is based on indigenous nationalism rebranding (ex Lázaro Cárdenas in Mexico). Whereas in Spain and most of Latin America the public holiday and similar ...traditions are typically held on All Saints' Day (Todos los Santos), Nov 1, the Mexican government under Cardenas switched the festivity to All Souls' Day (Fieles Difuntos) Nov 2, "in an effort to secularize the festivity and distinguish it from the Hispanic Catholic festival." Thus you will see it celebrated Nov 1-2, with today dedicated to children and tomorrow to all other souls. Traditions include the building of home altares and ofrendas, honoring the deceased using calaveras, cempasuchil, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, as well as visiting graves with these as gifts. These were early memories for me in Mexico. Monarch butterflies also play a role in Día de los Muertos because they are believed to hold the spirits of the departed. You will also see some debate as to "how much is shared" in terms of building altars and practices. Much like the debate around cultural appropriation, key questions to ask are: in service of what, whose power is centered, and who benefits (often commercially). May you celebrate aligned to its intention. One of the many ways I will honor is by ensuring my vote is centered on lost loved ones and the deaths at the border." + José G González

"For Gutierrez, who grew up on film sets with her fathera prominent and pioneering Chicano filmmakerimpassioned advocacy for the Latino community was as commonplace as making cameos in her dad’s movies or traveling the film circuit, though Gutierrez says she didn’t recognize the significance of it until later. I loved his passion, she says of her dad. I’m fearless because of him." - We're thrilled to read the stories and wisdom of Latino Outdoors San Antonio/Austin leaders Josie Gutierrez and Bianca Guevara!

"It took most of my adolescence to wander to the back of my grandparent’s property in rural Merced, California. In case you didn’t know, El Cucuy (Coo-Cooey) ACTUALLY lived back there, and just for the record La Llorona also wandered around Lake Yosemite in Merced! Okay, so it seems farfetched in retrospect to believe that Merced was home to two (possibly more) prolific Mexican monstersbut man did I believe it when I was a kid. In fact it wasn’t until I was well into adulthood that I was able to sort through the scare tactics that are still such a lasting memory." Read the rest of Rena Payan's Yo Cuento blog "How I Overcame My Fear of El Cucuy" bit.ly/2TIrbl2

My voice counts. My story counts. I count. And so do you. Election Day is November 3rd, but many places have already started early voting. So the election isn't happening only on November 3rdit's happening now! Make a plan: Being an informed voter makes you a powerful voter. Voter guides can help you become familiar with the issues that are on the ballot and how they will affect your community, your family, and you. Find one online that speaks to you. ... Finding your polling place: Whether you’re voting by mail, dropping off your ballot, or voting in person, know where to go. If you're planning on voting in person, bring your own supplies: Identification (check with your voting site) Your mask (plus an extra) Hand sanitizer Water and lunch Black ink pen Registration forms, sample ballots, etc. Phone charger Know your rights: Research your rights online. There are many organizations that provide free online resources on voting rights, voting with disabilities, safely voting in person, and more. Help your friends and family: Some people have never voted before, while others have voted in every electionhelp each other. The fight doesn't stop once you've voted. Get involved in your community, use your voice, volunteer your time and skills to a cause you believe in, and remember that we are the change we're looking for. La lucha sigue, siempre.

¡Buenas noticias for all 5th graders and their families!

Send The State: ¡Vota/Vote! with Dani Reyes-Acosta and Protect Our Winters begins in an hour and a half! Register for this important conversation: bit.ly/2TvuL24

Join Protect Our Winters for their Send The State series featuring host Graham Zimmerman and guest star, Dani Reyes-Acosta, discussing the importance of voting in the upcoming election. Vota/Vote with Dani Reyes-Acosta is Wednesday, October 28th at 4:00PM PDT. Register for the talk: bit.ly/2TvuL24 Read more about Dani and her love of the outdoors on our Yo Cuento blog bit.ly/2FRiulf

The temps are cooling down, making it perfect weather to get your heart rate up! Join the Latino Outdoors community for a walk, jog, or run anywhere and anytime between now and the end of the year. Go solo, with family, or with other members of your household. As you go, see if you can identify five common plants and/or animals. You may even want to try using as many senses as possible to experience your surrounding. Tell us about in the #TogetherApart Form for a chance to wi...n some binoculars to use in our next #TogetherApart activity! How To Participate: Register to participate. Complete the activity. Tell us about your experience --> bit.ly/2DYcNkK