Latino Outdoors

Latino Outdoors
Name	Latino Outdoors
Formation	2015
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Fresno, California
Region served	United States
Focus	Outdoor recreation, conservation, community engagement

Latino Outdoors is a nonprofit organization founded to increase Latino participation in outdoor recreation, conservation, and stewardship. The organization connects communities through hiking, camping, wildlife observation, and cultural events, and engages with national parks, urban green spaces, and regional trails. Latino Outdoors collaborates with federal agencies, local nonprofits, and academic institutions to promote access, equity, and representation in outdoor spaces.

History

Latino Outdoors was created amid national conversations involving the National Park Service, Sierra Club, Outdoor Industry Association, The Wilderness Society, and grassroots groups after high-profile incidents such as the Trayvon Martin shooting and debates following the 2013 federal government shutdown. Founders drew inspiration from community organizers active in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and New York City and from cultural leaders connected to events like Cinco de Mayo celebrations and Día de los Muertos commemorations. Early supporters included advocates associated with GreenLatinos, The Hispanic Access Foundation, Latinos in Agriculture, and scholars from institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, University of Texas at Austin, and Arizona State University. Growth was aided by partnerships with metropolitan park systems like the National Park Foundation, regional conservancies such as the Openlands, and fellowship programs mirroring models from the Presidential Innovation Fellows initiative. Over time the group engaged with federal programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state agencies including the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and municipal departments in locales such as San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, and Miami.

Mission and Activities

The mission centers on outreach similar to efforts by Outdoor Afro, Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), and the National Wildlife Federation to build inclusive outdoor communities. Activities include guided excursions to sites like Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Everglades National Park, and Zion National Park; environmental education aligned with curricula promoted by the National Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy; and advocacy campaigning alongside networks like Conservation Lands Foundation and Earthjustice. Programming emphasizes bilingual interpretation in contexts used by organizations such as Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History, and Field Museum of Natural History and applies volunteer stewardship models practiced by groups including The Trust for Public Land and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Programs and Initiatives

Latino Outdoors runs community programs similar to national initiatives like the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics certification, youth development frameworks mirrored by Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA, and workforce pipelines akin to the AmeriCorps and Corps Network models. Notable initiatives have convened meetups in conjunction with festivals such as SXSW, National Congress of American Indians gatherings, and cultural expos hosted by Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Collaborative projects have included urban trail cleanups coordinated with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, bilingual birdwatching events in partnership with Audubon Society of Portland, and indigenous land acknowledgment dialogues with representatives from the Native American Rights Fund and tribal nations like the Tohono O'odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The organization adopted an executive model influenced by nonprofit governance structures used by Alliance for Justice, Independent Sector, and university-affiliated research centers such as the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society. Leadership has included community organizers with ties to city departments like the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and national programs like the National Park Service Centennial Initiative. Boards and advisory councils have featured members from Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, Rocky Mountain Institute, Resources Legacy Fund, and academic partners from Columbia University, Harvard University, and Stanford University.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding streams mirror those used by environmental nonprofits, coming from foundations such as the Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and corporate partners in the outdoor sector including Patagonia (company), REI, and The North Face. Grants and contracts have been coordinated with federal programs available through the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, state conservation funds like the California Natural Resources Agency, and philanthropic intermediaries such as Echoing Green and Grantmakers in the Arts. Strategic alliances have been formed with labor and civic groups such as United Farm Workers, League of United Latin American Citizens, and National Council of La Raza.

Impact and Recognition

Latino Outdoors’ work has been recognized by awards and coverage from institutions like the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, media outlets including NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and accolades from industry events such as the Outdoor Retailer shows. Impact assessments reference collaborations with research partners at University of California, Davis, University of Washington, and Duke University and align with conservation outcomes tracked by NatureServe and Protected Planet. The organization’s model has informed policy dialogues with stakeholders at the Department of the Interior and municipal park commissions in cities like Oakland, San Diego, and Portland, Oregon.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States Category:Environmental organizations