Latino Leaders Create Community Outdoors

Entirely volunteer run, Latino Outdoors Boston hosted five trips to Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area in 2022 – with additional excursions outside of the national park. The trips were supported by the National Park Foundation’s ParkVentures program and the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park's grant program.

Each Saturday trip was geared for either young adults or families and began with the ferry ride to an island. Gárate typically led a hike – pointing out plants and animals along the way and pulling up crab traps at the end. An intentional schedule of both guided group time and unstructured time, each excursion left time at the end for plenty of swimming or additional hiking.

Culture and Community

While it’s no surprise that Gárate’s excursions include a beach and swimming, she says that the excursions are evolving as the volunteer base grows and becomes more diverse. One volunteer is an avid rock climber while another is interested in relaxed nature walks. They each put their stamp on the activity and are helping the group branch out into new types of excursions.

That diversity of the group is a testament to the need in the community, she says.

Bringing together a group of adults — ranging from a recent high school graduate to folks in their 50s — the group organized an overnight camping trip. Just like the other events, the experience levels ranged from experienced campers to those sleeping outside for the first time.

Despite the diversity of ages and lived experience, the group quickly bonded and built trust, Gárate said. As they began to wrap up, break down camp, and prepare to say goodbye, the group was emotional.

“Some of them were even thinking about moving out of Boston because they didn't feel connected to community here,” Gárate said. “They felt like they finally connected to people who like share similar values and ways of being in the world.”

What Comes Next

For Gárate, her goal as she continues to grow Latino Outdoors Boston is to continue building community — community for the families with children who are building sandcastles on the beach for the first time and for the older adults who are connecting with the nature or their larger Latino community in Boston, perhaps also for the first time.

She hopes to grow the program to include winter activities like snowshoeing, as well as branch into environmental justice work.

“There’s a duality to our work,” said Gárate. “We can bring our culture and community into this outdoor space. And then once we are in this outdoor space, how can we best recreate in it and help protect it so that our future generations can also enjoy these places?”