ELEVATE CONSERVATION: OUTDOORS FOR ALL
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Thank you for joining us!
Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All 
2021

Want to know more about how to stay involved and take action after this year's Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All event? Check out the coalition's recent newsletter here. 

SPEAKERS

José González
Emcee

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José González is a professional educator with training in the fields of education and conservation while engaging in different artistic endeavors with art and messaging—often exploring the intersection of the environment and culture. He is the founder and director emeritus of Latino Outdoors, a non-profit that connects and engages Latinx communities in the outdoors, and a partner at the Avarna Group.

​José plays with design, words, science, and education—engaging in the interdisciplinary intersections of how we view and engage with the world. Be it a piece of art, poem, or scientific fact, José likes to weave ideas with people while appreciating the beauty of it all. José navigates through a self-created identity of a "Green Chicano" in a professional sense. In particular he self describes as weaving through the roles of Conservationist/
Environmentalist, Chicano, and Educator. He received his B.A at the University of California, Davis, and his M.S at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment; you can connect with him on social media @JoseBilingue.

Senator Martin Heinrich
New Mexico

Elected in 2012, Martin Heinrich is a United States Senator for New Mexico. He serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Appropriations, Intelligence, and Joint Economic Committees. With a background in engineering, Heinrich brings a unique perspective to the Senate, where he is focused on creating the jobs of the future and confronting the climate crisis. An avid sportsman and conservationist, Heinrich works to protect New Mexico’s public lands, watersheds, and wildlife for future generations.
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Vasu Sojitra
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Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. Initiative​

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When Vasu was only nine months old, he was diagnosed with septicemia, resulting in the amputation of one of his legs. Since then, Vasu has not looked back; with the help of his parents, brother, friends and so many other resources and opportunities, Vasu has gained access to the confidence needed to face new challenges with grace, courage, strength, humor, and unwavering determination.

Vasu witnessed extreme poverty growing up in India, and has been living most of his life with a “dis”ability. He looks at these experiences as a blessing; they have allowed him to truly hone in on his ability to empathize with others. He continues to strengthen his vigor through his work in advocacy for those who are historically marginalized. Vasu will continue to embolden others to be a positive influence in their own communities by pushing personal limits, putting others first, and encouraging people to believe in themselves and in their own unique abilities!
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With the motto of “ ninjasticking through the wood to bring intersectionality to the outdoors” Vasu continues to challenge the biases that go with being a Disable person of color with a through his intersectional work which include being the first adaptive athlete for The North Face, a founding member for The Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E Initiative, the co-founder of Inclusive Outdoors Project, and a Disability Access strategist for The Avarna Group, In Solidarity Project and independently.

Colorado Representative Leslie Herod
​Sponsor of Colorado Outdoor Equity Bill

Representative Leslie Herod (HD-8) was elected in 2016 as the first LGBTQ African American in the Colorado General Assembly, while receiving the highest number of votes of any candidate running in a contested election. She serves as the Chair of the House Finance Committee, Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and Vice Chair of the Committee on Legal Services. Rep. Herod also chairs the Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus and the Arts Caucus.

Rep. Herod sponsored HB21-1318- Create Outdoor Equity Grant Program. HB21-1318 ensures that outdoor access is provided with justice, inclusivity, and equity in mind. It increases access and opportunity for underserved youth to experience Colorado’s open spaces, state parks, public lands, and other outdoor areas through programs with a focus on outdoor or environmental education.

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Angelo Baca
Utah Diné Bikéyah

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Angelo Baca is Navajo and Hopi from the Bears Ears region and is the cultural resources coordinator for Utah Diné Bikeyah, and a PhD candidate in sociocultural anthropology at NYU. A graduate of the Native Voices Program at the University of Washington, he has created numerous documentaries and collaborative works around such subjects as indigenous food sovereignty, Native youth development and In 2016, he directed the ethnographic documentary Shash Jaa': Bears Ears, in an effort to illuminate the Utah landscape’s significance to indigenous peoples of the region.

HONOREES

Loretta Pineda, Former Executive Director 
ELK - Environmental Learning for Kids
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Loretta was the  Executive Director of Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK), a Denver non-profit and recently retired having served the organization for 6 years.  Loretta guided a $6 million capital community campaign that created the Montbello Open Space Park and an education center for ELK programming.  Prior to joining ELK, she devoted 33 years of service to the State of Colorado, Department of Natural Resources.  Loretta is a founding ELK Board member, and was also ELK’s 2011 Lifetime Legacy Award recipient.  She continues to serve on several Boards throughout the metro area, dedicated to enhancing Denver’s community and youth. She looks forward to continuing to work to elevate community, youth and public spaces.    Loretta is a Colorado native, grew up on a farm in Weld County and has a BA from Colorado State University.


PATRICIA ANN CAMERON
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BLACKPACKERS

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​Having been born and raised in Prince George's County, Maryland, Patricia moved to Colorado Springs in 1994.  Colorado ( and specifically southeastern Colorado Springs) has a special place in her heart and she has devoted all of her energy into making the nationwide hub for the outdoor industry an equal and equitable place for all. 

Ms. Cameron spent the 11 years prior to founding Blackpackers in healthcare as an EMT and then as the Practice Manager of multiple clinics in the Colorado Springs and  Denver metro area. Further, Ms. Cameron has worked as a volunteer firefighter and in the ICU at Memorial Central--all in positions serving her community.   A student of philosophy from UCCS she also has a degree from PPCC for Emergency Medical Services.

Patricia founded Blackpackers in 2019 to address the gap in representation in the outdoors. As a single mother she struggled with the means and knowledge to take her young son on outdoor adventures.  Patricia saved up money working weeks of overtime as an EMT to buy her initial set of backpacking/gear and took herself on her first overnight backpacking trip--alone, and in a snowstorm. 

Mostly self-taught, she hopes to make it easier for families to access the outdoors by making the initial investment for them.  She is a freelance writer and photographer,  her work appearing in Backpacker Magazine, The Denver Post, Elevation Outdoors, The Colorado Sun, Sensi Magazine, The Voice, and others.  A single homeschooling mother of an amazing teenage boy, Patricia balances home life with  leading the Blackpackers Board of Directors.
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Patricia is a 2020 fellow and on the board of the New Leaders Council, a nationwide nonprofit that trains and supports progressive leadership and millennial entrepreneurs (newleaderscouncil.org).

In the summer of 2020, Patricia successfully hiked the entire 486 mile Colorado Trail while writing a trail diary for Backpacker Magazine.  She is a Wilderness First Responder, NOLS graduate, Certified Interpretive Guide, and a Leave No Trace Master Educator.​

Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. and Outdoor Equity Funds
New Mexico, Colorado, California
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Standing on stolen land and recreating on broken treaties, the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. initiative seeks to build momentum for the creation of a national equity fund that will ensure long-term investments in programs to serve all youth with opportunities to explore the great outdoors.


New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund

After spending countless days and hours with New Mexico youth on public lands: hiking, fishing, rafting, hunting and talking about cultura and conservation, we realized a dire need for New Mexico youth and its communities: public and private funding to make these programs independent and sustainable. The Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project led the charge to create the New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund during the 2019 New Mexico Legislative Session. The New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund was signed into law by New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham, and went into effect July 1, 2019. In 2020, the first round of Outdoor Equity Fund recipients were announced, a truly transformational moment for our state and for the future of outdoor equity programs. However, only a fraction of the applicants were funded, and Nuestra Tierra continues to work with youth, a community of equity advocates, outdoor educators, and state government to ensure that the Outdoor Equity Fund is implemented and administered in a truly equitable way and is fully funded.
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California

The state of California believes in the right of all Californians to have access to recreational opportunities, and enjoy the cultural, historic, and natural resources found across the state. Too many Californians cannot access our state’s parks, beaches, and outdoor spaces, nor our state’s array of museums and cultural and historical sites. Given this, the California Natural Resources Agency is prioritizing efforts to expand all Californians’ access to park, open space, nature and cultural amenities. This priority requires reshaping funding and programs to expand opportunities to enjoy these places. Doing so advances Governor Newsom’s strong personal commitment to building a “California for All”.

COLORADO

On June 21, 2021, Governor Jared Polis signed HB21-1318 establishing the Outdoor Equity Grant Program, after a multi-year campaign led by Next 100 Colorado members, 60+ local, state, and national organizations, and bill sponsors Representative Leslie Herod, Representative David Ortiz, Senator Leroy Garcia, and Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis. The program will increase access and opportunity for underserved youth and their families to experience Colorado's open spaces, state parks, public lands, and other outdoor areas. 

​According to a July 2020 report from the Center for American Progress and Next 100 Colorado member Hispanic Access Foundation, “more than 76 percent of people who live in low-income communities of color live in nature-deprived places. Studies have shown that children who spend time outdoors in natural environments experience improved health and cognitive functions, reduced stress, and enhanced social skills.” The grant program will address some of these inequities, provide sustainable funding of up to $3 million annually from lottery proceeds to entities providing conservation, environmental, and outdoor experiences and educational opportunities for underserved youth.

Outdoor Equity Grants may be used to cover the costs of programming, as well as gear rentals and equipment, staff supervision, and transportation. Lack of access to these items are often the greatest barriers to marginalized communities engaging in outdoor pursuits.

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