Hello,

We hope that you’re enjoying the spring weather and the blossom that often follows! From my vantage point, I can finally see our beloved backyard tree regaining its bright green leaves. It serves as a reminder to me that growth is possible with a little bit of sunshine, time, and patience.

At HECHO, we’re excited to share that a (virtual) seed we planted is also in bloom. We’ve worked hard over the past several months to revamp and reorganize our website, and it is LIVE! We hope that you’ll take the time to explore our new pages, and find the stories that inspire you to continue to advocate for the protection of our prized public lands. On our website, you’ll also be able to read about the recognition HECHO received this month in New Mexico and Colorado, honoring the work we do to ensure that Hispanic culture and perspectives are part of the conservation of our lands and waters.

Thursday, April 22 was Earth Day, and this year’s theme was “restore our earth.” Our team highlighted the ways in which we connect to the outdoors to honor madre tierra on our Facebook channel, and can be seen here in case you missed them. To view last year’s digital Cocktails & Conservation event celebrating 5o years of Earth Day and including a digital tour of the Grand Canyon, make sure to visit our YouTube channel.

We’ve been reflecting on intersectional environmentalism, and delving into the ways in which climate justice is deeply connected to the protection of people and the planet, examining the relationship between social and environmental injustice. Our own community is all too familiar with racist experiences, and we will denounce and reject it in all forms. This spring, a gunman opened fire and took the lives of six Asian women in Atlanta, and just last week the trial of ex-officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd resulted in a guilty verdict. Now more than ever, we must unite in rejecting racism, discrimination, hate, and violence. There is still much work to do in dismantling the systems that continue to devalue and cause harm to Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. HECHO is committed to breaking down these systems, educating ourselves and our community.

Caring for people is part of caring for our earth.

Below is a quick round up of what we’ve been up to:

We were excited to participate in the first inaugural Latino Advocacy Week, where we supported Latino communities, organizations, and families to become advocates for themselves in their own communities. With digital events like Advocacy 101, and Latinos in Ocean Conservation, we were able to have valuable conversations about protecting our lands and waters. We also interviewed Mayor of Antonito, Aaron Abeyta for a video that can be seen on our website. Read our recap about Latino Advocacy Week here.
We supported Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez’s Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act that would designate 13,103 acres within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico as Cerro de la Olla wilderness. Read more about the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act in our full statement.
This month HECHO submitted a letter to the Department of the Interior that included the signatures of 28 Western State and Local Elected Officials representing thousands of constituents calling for reform in the oil and gas leasing program. The letter also outlines key policy reforms that would lead toward better stewardship of our public lands. Deatils in our statement that can be viewed here.
In March, HECHO hosted a Clean Energy Economy and Justice Roundtable, meeting with leaders from across the nation to discuss policy changes that would center the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. The roundtable is follows six that were held in 2020 by the National Wildlife Federation to conceptualize solutions addressing climate change, health inequities, land use, water security, education, and civic engagement. The solutions presented in the roundtables have been included in policy recommendations to address the most pressing issues impacting frontline communities. Catch our recap here.

Sincerely,
Camilla

Recapping Latino Advocacy Week

2021 marked the first inaugural Latino Advocacy Week, where we participated in supporting the Latino community to become advocates, joining in events like a Policy & Coalitions workshop, and Networking and Briefing: Local Latino Elected Officials. We released a video series with our partners highlighting members of the Hispanic community in Colorado, and their connection to conservation and advocacy. HECHO interviewed Mayor of Antonito, Aaron Abeyta, who is also Co-Director of the Justice and Heritage Academy. Watch the video by clicking below!

Read more

ICYMI

Putting Conservation Values into Practice as Coconino County Treasurer

Catch up with Coconino County Treasurer, Sarah Benatar, who shared her story on the HECHO blog last month: “As a daughter born to Guatemalan parents, I feel that conservation values, and respect for nature was in the air I breathed and the food I consemed. In Guatemala, conservation is just a part of the culture.”

Find Sarah’s blog here.

Cerro de la Olla Designation, an Opportunity to Cultivate a Legacy of Stewardship

Rich in ecological and historical importance, the Cerro de la Olla designation would provide the long-term protection needed for the area to continue to thrive, preserving traditional uses, like hunting, wood gathering, and herb collecting, as well as protecting Cerro de la Olla’s livestock grazing area.

Read our full statement here.

Resources & Opportunities

HECHO receives wonderful engagement opportunities that we’d like to share with our readers. If an opportunity speaks to you, click the link to learn more.

Open Positions at Southwest Conservation Corps | Southwest Conservation Corps operates conservation service programs across Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico that engage youth, young adults, and veterans on public lands. Open positions include:
- COVID Response Team Crew Leader – Santa Fe National Forest
- Adult Conservation Crew Leader – Durango, CO
- Ecological Monitoring Leaders and Members – various locations in New Mexico
- Various individual placement positions in Colorado and New Mexico
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Hiring for Senior Government Affairs Advocate, Conservation | Cover letters and resume can be sent to hr@lcv.orgwith “Senior Government Affairs Advocate, Conservation” in the subject line by April 28, 2021.
Application period now open for Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative Funding Program | Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Great Outdoors Colorado are collaborating to fund coalitions working to protect Colorado’s land, water, and wildlife through the Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative. Additional details here.
New Mexico’s Outdoor Recreation Division anounces new grant opportunities | To give business owners and their employees a boost as New Mexico emerges from the pandemic, awards up to $20,000 are available through the Outdoor Recreation Accelerator grant that invests in innovative outdoor recreation business accelerators. Applications due Friday, April 30. Application and details here.

Policy News

Department of the Interior cancels lease sales in accordance with pause on oil and gas leasing | In accordance with Executive Order 14008 that calls for review of the federal oil and gas program, the Bureau of Land Management has stated they will not hold lease sales in the second quarter of 2021 to allow the review process to continue. Read more about our work regarding oil and gas reform by visiting our website.

Thanks for reading!

And thanks for being part of the HECHO community. Together we can elevate Hispanic voices in public lands policy.