Podcast S1 E19: So You Want to Host a Latino Conservation Week Event?



July 22, 2024 | 37:58


Description: 

If you are interested in learning more about Latino Conservation week and how you can get involved, listen in as guest Jessica Godinez from the Hispanic Access Foundation shares with Candace Brendler how you can host an event. 

Latino Conservation Week (LCW) is a national initiative hosted by Hispanic Access Foundation to celebrate the Latino community's presence in the outdoors and promote access to public lands and outdoor recreation. LCW started in 2014 and has grown significantly, with over 300 events listed on the website last year. The events vary in nature, from camping trips and hikes to webinars and film screenings. LCW is community-driven, with events hosted by a mix of conservation nonprofits, community leaders, and volunteers. The focus of LCW is on access and equity, highlighting the importance of diverse representation in the conservation space.
 

Meet Jessica

Latino Conservation Week Program Manager​, Hispanic Access Foundation

As a first-generation Mexican American, Jessica feels naturally drawn to support immigrant communities in navigating the systems of a new country while striving for social equity. Jessica's family lived near Richmond, Virginia for several years before moving to rural Montpelier, Virginia; there, Jessica's love for nature continued to grow as did the gardens around her family home.

Prior to joining the Hispanic Access team, Jessica nourished her love of the outdoors with a job at REI and worked toward social equity by partnering with local nonprofits serving the needs of immigrants. Projects she worked on included an initiative to provide interpreting services and a family literacy program. Most recently, Jessica worked with the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado through a rigorous internship program in which she engaged with partners to provide opportunities for underrepresented communities to enjoy and steward public lands. She is passionate about re-connecting communities with their innate relationship with nature.

She graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor's degree in global affairs with concentrations in environment and international development.


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