Organizations hoping to inspire more Latino adventurers in the great Colorado outdoors
It's an attempt to make this all feel more organic. The U.S. Forest Service, Aspen Institute, and the Wilderness Workshop's Defiende Nuestra Tierra are bringing together Latino community leaders, food, live music and family activities and games on July 23 at Two Rivers Park in Glenwood Springs.
The hope is to educate the community on the incredible opportunities all Coloradans have just outside outdoors, but aren't always used.
It's not the first time organizations have tried to help bring more of the Latino population out in the forests.
"it doesn't feel organic, some kind of way," Omar Sarbia, Director of Wilderness Workshop's Defiende Nuestra Tierra explained. "That's why we try to have very recognized Latino bands, to have a face like my face there. It's the Latino face that they want to see too."
The U.S. Forest service has done studies showing the populations in our mountain towns do not equally equate to who we see on trails and rafts.
"The Roaring Fork Valley is 30% to 40% Latino, and we're trying to make sure that we're making forest system lands a welcoming place and provide that information and resources so that they know how to safely recreate outdoors," Jennifer Schuller, Deputy District ranger with Aspen district of the white river national forest explained.
The event is a part of Latino Conservation Week 2022 and will include opportunities to learn more about and try hiking, rafting, fishing (after pre-registration.)
At the same time, Glenwood is getting new equipment donated to them by the Forest Service, two backpacking kits and two camping kits to be rented from the Glenwood Recreation Center as a part of its gear library. The library opened in 2020 and has already been used to help peoplepaddle board, snow shoe, fly fish, or birdwatch for either a very low price or simply a free rental.
"La gente estara muy emocionada conociendo esta informacion porque no todo el mundo tiene forma de comprar un equipo para un dia de camping," Gladys Arango, Community Engagement Coordinator explained. "En cambio si lo podemos conseguir alquilado super barato, esta comodo para conseguir."
For us non-Spanish speakers, that was "People will be very excited knowing this information because not everyone can afford to buy gear for a day of camping, instead if we can get it rented super cheap, it's easier."
Bryana Starbuck, Glenwood Spring's Public Information Officer, said it's an important way to help get folks out and exploring parts of our state they might not have been able to before.
"It helps to build our community and creates places where people feel welcome and they're able to participate, regardless of your income or your ethnicity, background, any of that," Starbuck said.