6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY December 28, 2023-January 3, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 Feeling the wind on my face and the lapping of seawater was an unexpected way to start my Saturday morning. I’m not generally keen to go out on the water, but I was one of 25 people who showed up for an outing with Latino Outdoors Central Coast to paddle kayaks along Elkhorn Slough. Latino Outdoors is a nationwide organization that connects Latinos with nature. It has been around for 10 years as a Latine-led organization focused on outdoor recreation, conservation and environmental education. It now boasts 32 chapters nationwide and more than 200 volunteers. The Central Coast chapter started early this year. Juan Ramirez, who works as a community program manager for the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, says he saw a need to bring bilingual outdoor activities to the area, noting Monterey County has a large Latino community. For his day job, Ramirez works with grade school students and their families, hosting regular nature outings. It wasn’t much of a stretch, he thought, to extend his experience and provide free bilingual tours in his free time. Since February, Ramirez and other volunteers have organized outdoor adventures on a monthly basis. Ramirez says he started the group to build community and leadership through activities like kayaking, climbing, camping and surfing—particularly for first-timers. LO has collaborated with local organizations and businesses including The Wahine Project and Kayak Connection to provide the necessary gear free of charge. Participants learn about native plants, animals and sea creatures. They can also learn new skills, from kayaking to birding. “We provide these opportunities for all of us to see ourselves reflected in nature,” Ramirez says. On this particular Saturday, we are all decked out in beanies, jackets and sweaters to ward off the chill. We each grab a paddle and practice pushing and pulling with our arms to turn left or right before settling into the boats. Several of us were a little anxious because it was our first time kayaking. The fear and hesitancy quickly turned into joy and confidence once we were on the water and moved away from the shore. Briana Vargas Luna, 22, was thrilled about the paddle. “I’m excited about having a new experience with the community,” she says, adding that she feels more motivated when she participates in activities with fellow Latinos. “I feel safer,” she adds. Ramirez says that one goal is “to engage families in outdoor experiences that feel safe and welcoming.” The organization makes sure Latinos are represented in leading, as well as learning. And Ramirez also hopes to inspire environmental stewardship: “You don’t know you have to take care of something unless you’re in a relationship and in love,” he says. Claudia Pineda Tibbs, a volunteer with LO Central Coast and board member of the organization at a national level, says they want to make the outdoor experience more inclusive. “For so long, the narrative has been that Latinos don’t care about the environment,” Pineda Tibbs says. “But when you look at a lot of our city parks, Latinos are there all the time.” Pineda Tibbs says there are numerous places in Monterey County to experience outdoor activities; however, “I didn’t really see myself reflected on the trails and didn’t really see people who looked like me kayaking or tide pooling,” she explains. This was the reason she joined Latino Outdoors. Pineda Tibbs also observes that while Latinos enjoy outdoor activities, their presence isn’t often represented on brands, brochures and marketing campaigns—an absence that can make the outdoors seem out of reach. “[It] almost feels like a luxury,” she says. “When people see us outdoors, they see us as ag workers, or they see us as people who are tending to the fields, and they don’t see us as those who are recreating in outdoor spaces.” LO is seeking to change that, one outdoor experience at a time. For 25 paddlers, it happened in two hours one Saturday on the slough. For information on upcoming events with Latino Outdoors, visit instagram.com/locentralcoast. Adventure Series Latino Outdoors has a new, local chapter that brings novice adventurers closer to nature. By Celia Jiménez For about half of the participants on a Dec. 16 paddle in Elkhorn Slough, it was their first time kayaking. The trip was organized by the new local chapter of Latino Outdoors. “When they see us outdoors, they see us as ag workers.” TaLeS FrOm THe area cODe CELIA JIMÉNEZ
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