Guest Blog: Bridging Culture, Community, and Nature: Latina Leadership Benefits Maricopa County's Parks

I’m proud to be an 8th generation Arizonan. My family has traced our long history in Arizona back to the 1740s. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents were farmworkers, tending the fields. My father was a farmworker as well.

My family settled in Pima County after an uncle bought a plot of land and invited his brothers to join.

Arizona is what I know best. I was brought up in South Phoenix, and moved after gentrification pushed us out. Afterwards, my family moved to Golden Gate Barrio. I find comfort in familiarity and today, my children go to the same elementary school I did.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerMarch 31, 2020Arizona, Picknicking, Traditional Land Uses, Outdoor Recreation, FishingComment

Event Recap: Leadership Workshop Introduces Climate Change Solutions Through Public Lands Management Lens

More than 30 students and community leaders gathered at Springs Preserve despite rain showers for HECHO’s second Public Lands and Climate Leadership workshop to build knowledge about how public lands management impacts climate change, and create awareness around the local impacts of climate change in the community.

Guest UserMarch 27, 2020Event Recap, Advocacy Training, Leadership Workshop, Public Lands, Climate Change, Nevada, Querencia y HerenciaComment

Statement: HECHO Commends Bipartisan Senate Effort to Ensure Full Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Yesterday, March 10, 2020, 56 U.S. Senators introduced legislation that would support full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The proposed bill, named The Great American Outdoors Act, would fully fund LWCF in addition to supporting national parks and public lands by addressing maintenance backlogs.

Event Recap: Cocktails and Conservation Happy Hour at La Flor de Calabaza

HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors) proudly hosted the third installment of the Cocktails and Conservation education series at La Flor De Calabaza in Phoenix, Arizona on February 13 to present Happy Hour.

Guest UserFebruary 24, 2020Event Recap, Cocktails & Conservation, Arizona, Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Liz ArchuletaComment

Guest Blog: Finding Self-Love in Outdoor Experiences

My story begins similarly to others who have history in Arizona. My parents started work on the border of Arizona and later moved to Bisbee, a city with a rich mining history as well as my birthplace. Eventually, my family and I settled in Tucson. Arizona as a whole has so much to offer and so much that I love. At the top of the list is the biodiversity the state is home to. You can be in one place, surrounded by desert and red rock, and then drive a few hours north and be engulfed by forest. I especially appreciate the variance during the winter, where I can still enjoy the outdoors without having to compromise my desire for warmth.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerFebruary 14, 2020Arizona, Outdoor Recreation, Querencia y HerenciaComment

Blog: Five Things to do Outdoors with your Sweetheart

This February, take your love outside and make this Valentine’s Day special by enjoying an outdoor activity with your loved one. Being in nature allows us to connect outside of the hustle and bustle of everyday life and foster an appreciation for madre tierra. At HECHO, that’s something we love! Let us know if you enjoy an activity from our list with a comment!

Guest UserFebruary 14, 2020Valentine's DayComment

Event Recap: Free Family Fishing at Red Mountain Lake

HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping Hunting and the Outdoors), in partnership with City of Mesa Councilmember David Luna, the Arizona Game & Fish Department, and the City of Mesa Parks and Recreation hosted the first Free Family Fishing Day of 2020 at Red Mountain Lake on February 1, 2020.

Guest UserFebruary 11, 2020Event Recap, Family Fishing Day, Fishing, Arizona, Liz Archuleta, David Luna, Traditional Land UsesComment

Event Recap: Phoenix Community Comes Together to Discuss Climate Change and Public Lands

Jan. 13, 2020 (Phoenix, Arizona) – Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Gardens was the site where HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting & the Outdoors) hosted 30 community leaders on Sunday, all invested in learning about the intersection of Climate Change and Public Lands. This is the second workshop in a series of Public Lands & Natural Resources workshops present by HECHO.

Guest UserJanuary 14, 2020Event Recap, Leadership Workshop, Advocacy Training, Climate Change, Public Lands, Arizona, Liz ArchuletaComment

Guest Blog: A Lifetime of Tireless Advocacy Serving Questa Community Members

Dedicated former mayor of the Village of Questa, New Mexico, Esther García was a strong advocate for the Hispanic community, defending traditional Hispano cultural practices on our lands and waters. Former Mayor García passed away on January 5, 2020 after living her days as a fierce supporter of land access and cultural preservation.

Guest BlogGuest UserJanuary 8, 2020New MexicoComment

Blog: Landmark Wildlife Conservation Legislation Reaches Essential Milestone

On Thursday, December 5, 2019, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) was voted out of the House Natural Resources Committee and referred to the full House by a strong, bipartisan vote of 26-6! This is an important milestone for this crucial bill that would dedicate $1.3 billion annually to state-led wildlife conservation efforts and $97.5 million for tribal nations. We are proud to share in the success of a bill that, if made into law, would be the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in over 30 years. The bill now heads to the full House.

Guest Blog: Why We Should Promote Greater Access to the Outdoors Within Urban Areas

As a native Arizonan raised in Douglas, I have always admired the desert. While many might think of a desert landscape as arid, and perhaps even uninhabitable, I find the desert to be one of the most life-sustaining biomes, teeming with species who have adapted and thrive in our dry climate.

Event Recap: Local "Agua Es Vida" Event Informs and Engages Community Members about Uranium Mining Impacts Around the Grand Canyon

Nov. 20, 2019 (Phoenix, Arizona) – Today more than 30 community leaders gathered at the Rio Salado Audubon Center for an event organized by HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors) to discuss uranium mining near the Grand Canyon, and its effects on Native American and Hispanic communities.

Grand CanyonGuest UserNovember 21, 2019Event Recap, Agua Es Vida, Grand Canyon, Uranium Mining, Cocktails & Conservation, Liz Archuleta, ArizonaComment

Event Recap: Vamos Afuera! Ideas for How to Encourage Your Kiddos to Enjoy the Outdoors

It’s not everyday we get to see a Latinx family enjoying an adventure outdoors. In partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, HECHO collaborated to host an advanced screening of Dora and the Lost City of Gold across New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah.

Guest BloggerAugust 20, 2019Event Recap, Vamos Afuera!, National Wildlife Federation, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Family ActivitiesComment

Press Release: Village of Pecos, City of Española, and Town of Taos Vote to Support Wildlife Corridors

The Village of Pecos, City of Española, and Town of Taos council members unanimously approved resolutions this week supporting the protection of wildlife corridors in the Upper Rio Grande region. The resolutions also urge Congress to support the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019 that would serve to protect wildlife corridors nationally. Pecos, Española, and Taos join Rio Arriba, San Miguel, and Santa Fe Counties in passing wildlife corridor resolutions this summer.

Guest Blog: The Outdoors Showed Me That Obstacles Can be Overcome

I’m 25 and I live in Phoenix, Arizona. Growing up one thing my mom would refuse to have in our house was cable. She didn’t want us to be sitting in front of the TV and not enjoying playing outside. We could afford the cable, but she said no. Every time I look back on that, I’m grateful because it made me love the outdoors. I used to live right by a park and I remember always going there growing up. As soon as we hit the park there was a hill. The first thing I would do is run up that hill and every single time I felt a complete sense of freedom.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerAugust 7, 2019Arizona, Outdoor RecreationComment

Blog: Explore the Outdoors Like Dora & Join HECHO

Watch this special greeting from Eva Longoria and Eugenio Derbez from the film Dora and the Lost City of Gold, which will debut in theaters on August 9.

Explore the Outdoors Like Dora & Join HECHO!

Camilla SimonAugust 6, 2019Vamos Afuera!, Family ActivitiesComment

Press Release: Rio Arriba County Commission Joins Growing List of Counties Unanimously Passing Wildlife Corridor Resolutions

RIO ARRIBA COUNTY, NM – Today members of the Rio Arriba County Commission unanimously approved a resolution in support of the protection of wildlife corridors in the Upper Rio Grande Region. The resolution also urges Congress to support the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act that would protect wildlife corridors nationally.

Press Release: Santa Fe and San Miguel County Commissions Pass Wildlife Corridor Resolutions

The Santa Fe and San Miguel County Commissions on Tuesday both unanimously endorsed resolutions in support of protecting wildlife corridors in the upper Rio Grande Basin. The resolutions also urge Congress to support pending legislation to protect wildlife corridors nationwide.

"Passing the Wildlife Migration Corridor Resolutions at this level sets a precedent, showing communities that our traditions, culture, and uses of these lands are valuable," Ulibarri said. "With so many barriers to migration patterns like highways and other urbanizing development, these corridors ensure the protection of genetic diversity, and the continuation of species.”

Guest Blog: Envisioning a Lead-Free Landscape by Kent Salazar

My family has been hunting for generations in New Mexico. It has been a tradition that we have participated in year after year, and one that has bonded each of my family members.

I started hunting at 8 years old by tagging along with my father and uncles, and eventually began to hunt small game like squirrels and rabbits. I look back on these memories fondly, remembering how I first learned to walk quietly, use my senses of sight and smell, reading tracks, and learning the ways of my prey. Later I learned to safely carry and fire my hunting rifle, my grandfather’s old Remington Rollingblock.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerJuly 2, 2019Lead-Free Landscapes, Kent Salazar, Advisory Board, Hunting, Wildlife, New MexicoComment

Guest Blog: Meet HECHO’s Newest Board Member, Lynn Córdova

I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Colorado is such an outdoorsy place, but I grew up with limited means. We lived in a housing project and often relied on government assistance. My mother was a single mom who worked as a janitor. Even though the mountains were only 20 minutes away, we rarely went because when you’re poor, even buying the gas to get there is an extreme effort.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerJune 10, 2019Lynn Cordova, Advisory Board, Outdoor Recreation, Colorado, FishingComment

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