Statement: HECHO Strongly Supports National Monument Designation for Avi Kwa Ame

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) strongly supports the designation of Avi Kwa Ame as a National Monument. The greater Avi Kwa Ame landscape in southern Nevada is a refuge for wildlife, recreation, plants, and culture for the region's population, including a large Hispanic population in nearby Las Vegas. Just as important, the Avi Kwa Ame landscape, and specifically Spirit Mountain, is the place of origin for 10 Yuman-speaking tribes of the Mojave and is sacred to the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute people.

During a time of unprecedented climate change, record drought in the West, raging wildfires and the loss of biodiversity, protecting landscapes such as Avi Kwa Ame is critical to the conservation of our lands, water, wildlife, history and culture - an opportunity for us to safeguard lands from development and extraction for future generations.

Camilla Simon, executive director of HECHO, said:

"We urge President Biden and the Administration to act quickly to protect this crucial landscape, a proposal that is supported by the Fort Mojave Tribe, local lawmakers, sportsmen, the Hispanic community, and Congresswoman Dina Titus, among many others. The President should use his authority under the Antiquities Act to act decisively and listen to the requests of southern Nevadans to protect Avi Kwa Ame for future generations. Avi Kwa Ame holds some of our nation's most visually stunning, culturally significant, and biodiverse lands in the West, and HECHO is proud to support this proposal."

HECHO is also part of the Monumental Shift collaborative, a group of BIPOC-led organizations that is also advocating for the designation of Castner Range in El Paso, Texas. Monumental Shift strongly supports the designation of Avi Kwa Ame.

For more information, visit https://www.avikwaame.com/.