Last year was an eventful year for Latino Outdoors, a Rex Foundation 2021 grant recipient. After receiving their Annual Year In Review report, we were thrilled to learn about the programs the organization developed in 2020 and successfully carried into 2021.
Latino Outdoors’ Mission is to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace “cultura y familia” as part of the outdoor narrative. Through their important work, Latino Outdoors ensures that Latin American history, heritage, and leadership are represented and valued in the outdoor world and beyond.
Latino Outdoors’ three programmatic pillars are outdoor experiences, Outdoor Narratives, and outdoor leadership. Each of their programs are built around these important pillars.
Vamos Outdoors is a program that brings Latino communities together through outdoor adventures and tours. When the pandemic hit and even gathering outdoors became a risk, this program continued on by hosting virtual presentations and online nature tours. Their program #TogetherApart built off of this new found strength in the virtual space, and became a way for families to get together outside, share quality time outdoors with loved ones, and complete activities that support community science.
Eventually, as outdoor group gatherings became more safe, Latino Outdoors was able to reinstate their original programming and completed over 115 outdoor group outings with over 1,600 participants!
In addition to Vamos Outdoors, one of Latino Outdoors’ main programs is called Yo Cuento — built around their outdoor storytelling pillar. Through this program, Latino Outdoors advocates for conservation by sharing the stories of their community members, their heritage, and their history. In 2020, the Yo Cuento team produced a short film that features elected officials and public land advocates, highlighting the importance of public land access, beach access, outdoor recreation, parks, and public transportation.
Lastly, we wanted to highlight Crecemos Outdoors – a program built for Outdoor Leadership and Education. Last year, the organization supported more than 100 Leaders with outdoor learning opportunities including wilderness first aid, Leave No Trace workshops, outdoor photography, and more. This program is a huge part of how the Latino Outdoors community grows on both an individual and group level. Each experience doubles as an opportunity to both get outside as well as to strengthen communities.
To learn more about this incredible organization, please visit their website at the link below and be sure to sign up for their newsletter for more updates!
Photo Cedit: Ruby Rodriguez
