Event Recap: HECHO Celebrates the Inaugural Latino Advocacy Week

This past March, HECHO joined forces with Latino Outdoors, Hispanic Access Foundation, Defiende Nuestra Tierra, The Wilderness Society, and Defenders of Wildlife to celebrate the inaugural Latino Advocacy Week.

Latino Advocacy Week is an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation that supports Latino communities, organizations, families, and individuals becoming advocates for themselves and in their own communities around the issues that impact their daily lives. Throughout the week, events such as Advocacy 101, Latinos in Ocean Conservation, Networking and Briefing: Local Latino Elected Officials, Policy & Coalitions Workshop, offered participants the opportunity to engage in learning with the community.

During the week of March 14th, 2021, HECHO and our partners teamed up to release a video series highlighting members of the Hispanic community in Colorado to explore their connection to conservation and advocacy. The video can be viewed below.

HECHO interviewed Aaron Abeyta, the Mayor of Antonito and Co-Director of the Justice and Heritage Academy, to speak on the inextricable link of our history, heritage, and land. What the land gives to us, clean water, clean air, wildlife, and landscapes to enjoy – contributes to our health and well-being. Preserving these spaces that provide so much to us, while also allowing us to practice cultural traditions, is essential. Public lands are the essence of our democracy, where all should have equal access regardless of cultural or socioeconomic background.

HECHO encourages our followers to use Latino Advocacy Week as a jumping-off point and to consider every week an opportunity to act on issues that you care about. To stay updated on public lands conservation issues and how you can act to protect our land and water, sign up for HECHO’s Advocacy Network.