Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) is an opportunity to recognize the contributions made by the Hispanic/Latino community. At Arizona State Parks and Trails, it gives us a chance to spotlight those community members who help our agency thrive!

People like Eric Ruiz-Castro, who worked his way up from a seasonal ranger to Assistant Park Manager at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, and often provides bilingual services to his park’s visitors, and to other parks. Or Isaiah Ortiz, a park ranger at Catalina State Park, who is not only a talented astrophotographer, but also offers a wealth of knowledge about the mythology of the stellar constellations at his park’s star parties. Stop in at one of our park stores and you can find his book on the best astrophotography adventures in Arizona!

Beyond the parks, Hispanic and Latino employees provide vital services from our central office. Dora Guardiola-Avila in Human Resources helps employees access to their benefits, which is essential when employees experience personal changes or times of crisis. Juan Colorado-Alvarez in Grants & Trails works to build meaningful relationships with communities that are sometimes primarily Spanish-speaking in order to help them secure funding for outdoor recreation projects, like playgrounds and biking trails. Arianna Urban works within the State Historic Preservation Office to provide municipalities with resources for preserving cultural heritage sites, like the Teatro Carmen in South Tucson, which in its prime held performances by members of the Ronstadt family.

Visitation to Arizona’s state parks by Hispanics and Latinos hovers around 11% according to the agency’s latest visitor survey data, which is on par with visitation at national parks as well. However, according to sources like the Appalachian Mountain Club, that 11% is double from where it was about a decade ago. And those of us who work in outdoor recreation are hoping to help expand that number by sharing our own passion for the outdoors.

For Eric, that passion comes from summer trips to his grandparent’s house in the mountains of Michoacan, playing in the surrounding forest. For Arianna, it’s the deep connection she feels to the Sonoran Desert as an Arizona native. But Dora says it best when she says, “this is not only a job, but it helps people get out of the house, get out of their routine, visit new locations, learn about the outdoors and then teach the rest of their families what they have learned, and a tradition starts.”

We encourage other Latinos and Hispanics to start their own outdoor traditions by reaching out to organizations that encourage Hispanics and Latinos to enjoy outdoor recreation! ¡Vamonos afuera!

• The Rio Salado Audobon Center in south Phoenix offers outdoor conservation and wildlife programming throughout the year. You can find more information at: https://riosalado.audubon.org/events

• HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors) sponsors events that can be found at: https://www.hechoonline.org/events

• And of course, Arizona State Parks & Trails offer a variety of programming suitable for the whole family: https://azstateparks.com/events