Camping Is for Everyone

Three tents set up at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

NPS Photo

What does camping mean to you? Whether you live near a park or not, you don’t have to travel miles and miles away in a remote location, or be at a traditional campsite for it to be camping. It can be in a national or state park, but it can also be in your own backyard. For Latino Conservation Week 2021 (LCW 2021), our partner Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) brought their staff, Fellows, and alumni on a traditional camping trip over one weekend from July 24-25, 2021. It was a great time where the group had a chance to recreate outdoors, learn about careers in conservation from one another, and form friendships along the way.

On why empowering Latino youth and other underrepresented groups is important to the future of conservation, Evelyn Ramirez, the Program Associate for HAF’s MANO Project (My Access to Network Opportunities), joined the camping trip and shared that “Hispanics make up only 5.6% of the National Park Service workforce, yet are 18.5% of the U.S. population. A more diverse workforce would lead to more robust diverse strategies for inclusiveness in outdoor spaces. One of NPS’ goals is to tell all Americans’ stories, and this includes those of Latino and Hispanic heritage. I am proud to work with HAF to help empower and diversify the conservation field and give voice to those who may not have thought they had it.”

Hispanic Access Foundation Fellows and Staff walking towards the campsite carrying cardboard boxes with camping gear inside them.

NPS Photo

The campsite was located at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. One challenge the group encountered upon arriving was all the camping gear that had to be carried past a couple of campsites before reaching campsite number 3. This included bringing tents, chairs, sleeping bags, pillows, and sleeping pads. The group was determined to bring everything in one go, and they achieved this as they chatted amongst themselves. Most did not know one another. Though the temperature had been quite hot the week before, this weekend had much cooler weather.

Many of the individuals on the trip had camped before, but for three of them, it was their first time, and those more experienced were more than willing to help. It was a great bonding experience.

Through various getting-to-know-you activities, despite differences in cultures and backgrounds, it became clear that the group was connected by nature in this shared space. While this campsite was near a suburban setting with homes nearby, we felt like at times that we were experiencing something similar to rural camping.

Group photo at Potomac River near the campsite.

Photo Courtesy of Hispanic Access Foundation

The group took a trip to the Potomac River closeby and stopped to take a group selfie to remember this moment for years to come. Perhaps the most exciting part of the trip was when a torrent of rain came while eating dinner.

The weather forecast had called for sunny blue skies, but for 45 minutes, it rained continuously. Many people got wet, and some of the tents even flooded. People were still laughing, and this shared experience brought the group closer together. Luckily, there were extra tents and sleeping bags to use.

After the rain at the campsite.

NPS Photo

While the gear was still very wet, the wood had dried enough in time for the campfire. The campfire was the highlight of the trip for many. What began as light conversation about the weather quickly became more serious and emotional. Personal stories of how everyone got involved with conservation and what it meant to represent underrepresented groups were shared.

Patsy Herrera, a former 2020 Latino Heritage Internship Program Intern through HAF, who had worked at Minute Man National Historical Park, shared that she is currently working towards her master’s degree in Environmental Science at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. She had gotten into natural resource conservation while in college when she had the opportunity to study social equity, ecology, and the external environment. One fond memory she had was of her dad having her and her siblings stand under a tree while he shook it, making water drip down on them after a big storm, and she found great joy in this. She was not afraid to be adventurous and spend time outdoors, and even though she did not have expensive gear. Just being out with her family gave her comfort and security.

The group around the campfire. A birthday was also celebrated.

Photo Courtesy of Hispanic Access Foundation

For Ximena Diaz, a Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Program Fellow, who works as a National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) Fellow with HAF, this was her first-time camping, and she emphatically said that she cannot wait to go camping again. She first fell in love with nature and the desire to work in conservation when she visited Grand Canyon National Park. She expressed that, “I think as a member of the LatinX community, just speaking up about my own experiences growing up and my points of view and what I've learned about barriers to access for these resources is how I can step up for my own community and be involved in the conservation world.”

Everyone listened attentively, and there was even a birthday celebration with a vanilla chocolate birthday cake for Devant’e Dawson, who is working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Directorate Resource Assistant Fellows Program (DFP) as a member of HAF. He is a second year PhD student studying Interdisciplinary Ecology with a minor in Microbiology.

A view of the Great Falls Overlook. Two kayakers can be seen.

NPS Photo

The next morning, breakfast was scheduled for 7 a.m., but the group wanted to sleep a little longer, and since time was not important in this environment, everyone appreciated this. Some of the group decided to visit Great Falls Park to continue the trip, which was not too far from the campsite. It was a beautiful sight. The rain from the previous day had helped clear the air, so the day was bright and sunny. Samaya Rubio, a current HAF Fellow studying political science and public policy, is currently working at Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, which is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She shared that she had grown up in Los Angeles, California, and her family felt it was important to have a relationship with nature. This camping trip helped her start to reconnect with her Latino heritage, and show that this space belongs to us all.

On the impact the camping trip had on the group, Rubio summed it up well: “It has been a fabulous time. We’ve been enjoying getting to know each other, making s’mores, and talking about our different histories. It’s been really lovely getting to know people who come from the same culture as I do, have different experiences and all ended up doing the same work and have the same passion, so I am really grateful to be out here with everyone.” Though the time was short, it was fun recreating outdoors, getting to know people, networking, and finding new friends.

If more people went camping, then this could help bring communities closer together and help create a more harmonious society through our shared green spaces and nature. Not only is camping a great way to enjoy being outside, but it is also a way to relieve stress, reenergize, and connect spiritually with the environment. Through this camping trip, we were able to disconnect from our phones and truly live in-the-moment; interact with nature; and learn about one another in a safe space where it does not matter what your culture or background is. What better place is there to be yourself than with the rest of the web of life outdoors?

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