Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. goes to Puerto Rico
In May of 2024, Gabaccia Moreno and Laura Flores went to Puerto Rico on a GreenLatinos scholarship to present at the GreenLatinos National Summit on behalf of Outdoor FUTURE.
The 2024 GreenLatinos National Summit took place at El Yunque National Forest with GreenLatinos and Fundación Amigos de El Yunque. Not only did we get to share the importance of our work at Outdoor FUTURE, but we also had the opportunity to marvel at and enjoy the beauty of Puerto Rico among 200+ climate, conservation, environmental leaders, and advocates from across the country.
Image captured by GreenLatinos after Summit presentations at the 2024 National GreenLatinos Summit.
This summit allowed us to create alliances and celebrate our initiatives while fueling us to continue working towards sustainability and community in the outdoors.
Interview with Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. members Laura Flores and Gabaccia Moreno, who attended the GreenLatinos National Summit at El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico.
Why did you decide to attend the GreenLatinos Summit?
G: I have been dreaming of going ever since I saw the RFP for sessions come up. But I didn’t know it was possible until some folks from the GreenLatinos team let me know scholarships were available! I applied, got the scholarship, and a little dream came true!
L: I love any opportunity to spend time to grow and learn about important work within the community. Similar to Gabaccia, I didn’t realize I would be able to attend. She mentioned there was a scholarship program. So I applied and when I got the personal call from Carlos Matutes that I was selected I jumped for joy.
What session did you lead, and what was it about?
G: Our collaborative session was so fun because we got to hear stories from attendees as well as share our own, but we were also able to share the biggest lessons we’ve learned through our involvement in the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. Initiative. We used Lesson 6 from The Public Lands Curriculum (a tool by The Wilderness Society) as a framework to share with attendees the ABCs of Advocacy work and offered our experience in Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. as an example. In addition, I also shared a self-guided mindfulness and photography adventure, through my work at Outdoorist Oath. I wanted to offer a space where folks could recharge and reflect on the beauty I knew the Yunque National Forest would offer.
L: Past, Present, and FUTURO of our Public Lands. We started out by having folks close their eyes and think about a significant time in nature. We asked them to think about what they hear, see, feel, smell, touch and even taste. They had many incredible stories linked back to their youth. Hiking and learning from their grandparents, Tasting juicy fruit for the first time. Climbing trees and seeing the world around them. Oftentimes we can get so caught up in our work that we forget about these significant events that made us love the outdoors in the first place. We proceeded to talk about the ABCs of Advocacy created by TWS. Organizations came from all over because they knew the importance of conservation and community. It was special to be able to talk about the Outdoor Opportunity Fund and the opportunities it could bring to the youth in their communities.
Laura and Gabaccia presenting on behalf of Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. at the 2024 GreenLatinos National Summit.
Why was presenting about The Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. and Outdoor Opportunity important to you?
G: We can’t advocate enough for access to nature, especially for youth. Having the platform to bring awareness to this work AND inspire others to get involved, from New York to Puerto Rico, was a gift. It was also an incredible opportunity to learn about the challenges different communities face about their local access and to continue interrogating who else needs to join our coalition so more voices can be represented.
L: As a mother and outing leader in my community, I see the impacts the outdoors provides. We have children who live within walking distance from the rivers, mountains, trails, etc but because of barriers have not been able to access them or even know they exist. When we take our community out we make a connection to the space we are in. People who make connections are more likely to want to come back to that space again and take care of it for future generations to enjoy as much as they have. It was important to talk about the outdoor opportunity fund so community organizations know what funding could be available in the future to continue to break down barriers and continue to create equity in our outdoor spaces. We talk about mental, physical, and emotional wellness.
What were your biggest takeaways from the GreenLatinos Summit?
G: Comunidad is EVERYTHING. And some connections can only happen when we share space, time, and presence. I made so many incredible connections, from being led by folks doing research work to dancing with new amiguis, there is new room for dreaming and co-creating in my life and work, inspired by so many individuals and how they serve their communities. However, something that was resounding throughout the entire conference was the urgency to take real and meaningful action against climate change and stay aware of greenwashing by brands, organizations, and governments.
What did you learn about Puerto Rico (conservation efforts, environment, etc)?
G: I learned that we don’t hear enough about their amazing organizing tactics on the mainland (unsurprisingly, though). For example, did y’all know folks will close a street and dance for weeks in protest until their government meets their demands? Or have you heard how new camps are popping up, demolishing hotels and other so-called developments, and restoring the shores to natural habitats? Folks in PR know how to organize (and have fun while at it), and we need those stories amplified so we can all learn from them. In their own words, we need “anti-imperialist conservation.”
What did you bring back to your family/community?
G: A renewed sense and perspective of joy and resistance. I remember walking down to La Perla, an autonomous neighborhood in San Juan, as it started raining. I could hear the maracas in the close distance as the raindrops became louder and louder. The rain quickly became a full downpour, but the music didn’t stop. As I watched the drums soak in the water and the emcee continued to sing salsa in the rain, we joined other locals dancing alongside a short awning. The joy didn’t stop because it rained, and one of the locals shared with me that May rain is considered good luck (especially if on May 1st) and dancing in the rain is commonplace. If anything can describe PR for me: resistance won’t stop because it rains, whether a little or a lot. I hope to dance plenty in the rain and to continue to co-create joy as we work towards making this world a better place for everyone.
