Photo: Earthjustice
Read MorePhotos provided by Renee Villarreal.
Read MorePhotos by Daniela Zavala.
Read MorePhotos provided by Adriana García Maximiliano.
Read MorePhotos by Daniela Zavala.
Read MorePhotos by Jose Ignacio Gaona.
Read MoreBy: Coconino County Supervisor, District 2, Jeronimo Vasquez
For as long as I can remember, the outdoors has been an interwoven element of my life. For my family, it was something that we were always mindful of and it informed so many of the values that I continue to carry in my life today. I also come from a family of educators and they instilled in me the importance of education, community, and youth programming. Looking back now, my career aligns with so much of the teachings they shared with me.
Read MoreBy Arizona State Representative Alma Hernandez
I was born and raised on the South Side of Tucson. My father grew up on a farm in Van Nuys, California and my mother emigrated from Nogales, Mexico. I’m the youngest of three, and proud to carry the strength and resiliency of my ancestry and my community. The district that I’m from and also represent is predominantly Hispanic and low-income. Our community is beautiful, with vendor-lined streets and a strong sentiment of care.
Read MoreWashington D.C. -- President Biden has signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, the largest federal investment focusing on tackling the climate crisis, setting a precedent for the protection of our communities, health, and landscapes.
Addressing the climate crisis by creating jobs, advancing environmental justice, and highlighting outdoor economies, it will enhance our existing infrastructure making it resilient against the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events with key investments to protect against droughts, heat, floods, and wildfires. Water systems, roads, bridges, power infrastructure, public transit, and railway systems will receive much-needed updates to create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly solutions. It’ll tackle legacy pollution, build a national network of electric vehicle chargers, and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.
Read MoreHECHO was created to ensure that Hispanic and Latinx communities have a voice in the public-land management process. Since our inception, we’ve worked hard to make sure that Hispanic and Latinx leaders and communities have a seat at the decision-making table when it comes to energy development, the management of federal lands, conservation funding, and the permanent protection of important landscapes across the West.
Read MoreI have always carried a deep connection to the outdoors. I was born in a rural town in Michoacán, Mexico which is where my indigenous identity is rooted; and I grew up in Fort Bragg, California, a small town nestled between the vastness of the Pacific Ocean and the great Redwood Forest. It wasn’t uncommon for friends and I to walk to the quiet beaches after school or on a weekend morning. In middle school, I joined a climbing and hiking club which would often explore the adjacent streams and rolling hills of Jackson State Forest. In high school, I ran cross country. Through that sport I was lucky enough to spend afternoons running on coastal trails, and at times traveling inland to run through vineyards, and around serene lakes. I very much enjoyed my time connecting to nature in the area of California that I grew up in. Even today, I find that when life gets a little too hectic, nothing grounds me quite like nature.
Read MoreContact: Amy Dominguez, Communications Coordinator, Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO); 801-928-9157, amy@hechoonline.org
Flagstaff — In Arizona, where unprecedented weather events, such as devastating wildfires, drought, record heatwaves and flashfloods dominated headlines in 2021, nature-based infrastructure solutions in President Biden’s Build Back Better Act present an opportunity to keep communities and natural landscapes safe from the climate-driven impacts that are sweeping the nation today.
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