HECHO’s Third Advocacy Trip: A New Opportunity To Bring More Wins for Our Community on the Conservation Issues

HECHO celebrated its 10th anniversary and Hispanic Heritage Month by doing what it does best and has been committed to doing since its foundation in 2013: amplifying the voices of Hispanic leaders and giving them a platform to share their concerns and perspectives with decision-makers in Washington, D.C. during our third advocacy trip.  

Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council members from Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico had a busy week in the nation’s capital, advocating for solutions to conservation issues impacting their community and participating in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Leadership Conference, one of the country's largest gatherings of Latino leaders. 

“This is the second advocacy trip this year and the third since we launched the Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC),” says Camilla Simon, executive director of HECHO. “It was a busy but very productive week for Hispanic leaders and the HECHO team, visiting congressional offices on both sides of the aisle, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of Land Management, to advocate for the protection of critical natural resources and lands that are important to Hispanics across the Southwest.” 

Each advocacy trip is a new opportunity to bring more wins to the community on important conservation issues that are Hispanic issues.  

“HECHO is one of those unique organizations that can engage local, state elected officials, and community Hispanic leaders across the Southwest on issues like water, mining reform, and other environmental issues that impact the Hispanic community disproportionately,” says José Ignacio Gaona, National Policy and Advocacy Manager of HECHO. 

One of the main issues this advocacy trip focused on was the water crisis affecting the Southwest, specifically to discuss solutions and collaboration on the drought conditions along the Colorado River. Through their stay in the nation’s capital, HCLC members and staff met with lawmakers from the river basin states that belong to the recently formed Congressional Colorado River Caucus. 

“From collaboration and conservation to the issue of the lack of Hispanic representation on water boards that manage vital water sources in the region, our conversations with congressional offices and federal agencies make a difference to over 40 million people that depend on the resiliency of the Colorado River watershed ,” says Simon. 

Water continues to be a priority throughout the southwest, which faces more threats than just the unprecedented drought. 

“Mining companies are taking advantage of the current law, or the lack of it, in Arizona to use unlimited groundwater for extraction of natural resources despite the uncertainty with the future of water in the state,” says HECHO’s executive director. “This is why HECHO opposes Resolution Copper’s proposed mine at Oak Flat. This operation will deplete and pollute essential water resources for the communities and wildlife. And that is why we brought this issue again to our meetings in Washington, D.C.” 

“It is so important to keep the message coming about Oak Flat to our representatives in the nation’s capital and to the federal government. Water is an important issue for the people of Arizona and the whole United States. Agua es vida,” Henry Muñoz, HECHO HCLC member from Arizona. This was his second time this year in Washington, D.C., bringing awareness of the impacts of the destructive method of block cave mining on hydrological resources.  

While some Hispanic leaders have joined previous advocacy trips, HECHO also brought new HCLC members to this important space. 

"I am very honored because I don't get opportunities like this often not only representing Hispanics, but Arizona as a state and increasing awareness about the protection of open spaces and more access to the outdoors," says Orlando Cazarez, HECHO HCLC member from Arizona. 

"I learned so much, and I had opportunities to meet people that I never had the opportunity to meet before," shares Jessica Thrasher, one of the newest HECHO HCLC members from Colorado." Being in conversations that are moving the needle in policy around preserving our lands and water, talking to our Representatives and Senate members in person, and the people who are in places to make real change has been a tremendous and humbling experience."  

Besides conversations and meetings with decision-makers in Washington, D.C., HECHO brought its conservation delegation to this year’s Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Leadership Conference, where Hispanic leaders across different fields, Latino members of President Biden’s cabinet -together on a panel for the first time-, and Hispanic lawmakers, addressed issues that directly impact the Hispanic community in the United States.  

To end this productive advocacy trip on a high note, HCLC members had the opportunity to hear in person from the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, who defended women’s rights, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) legislation, and immigration priorities of this administration.  

“We accomplished so much on HECHO’s third advocacy trip. Not only did our delegation show the power and effectiveness of their united voices while advocating together and discussing critical environmental issues affecting their communities, but they also learned about other issues affecting our community and listened to other Hispanic leaders doing remarkable work for the progress and benefit of our people,” says Gaona.