Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

From September 15th through October 15th, we pay extra close attention and honor the contributions of the Hispanic community to society. This celebratory time begins mid-September and ends mid-October to line up with the independence days of Latin American countries from Spanish rule. The observational period started as a week in 1968 and was signed into law as a month-long celebration in 1988. The word “Hispanic” generally refers to people who are from or have ancestry from a Spanish-speaking country, and the word “Latino” refers to a person with origins from anywhere in Latin America and/or the Caribbean.

This year, Hispanic Heritage Month is extra special as it coincides with Latino Conservation Week!

Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation and was created to support the Latino community in getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources.

During this week, community, non-profit, faith-based, and government organizations and agencies hold events throughout the country. From hiking and camping to community roundtables and film screenings, these activities promote conservation efforts and allow Latinos to show their support for permanently protecting our land, water, and air.

This month we invite you to celebrate Latino Conservation Week and Hispanic Heritage Month at Pease Park - Austin’s first and oldest greenspace! Spending time outdoors is linked to improved mental, physical, and cognitive wellness. Pease Park Conservancy works to make Pease Park an equitable and sustainable greenspace for all of Austin to enjoy. Read on for upcoming opportunities and ways to build community.

Yoga in English

Wellness and community go hand in hand, which is why there are always opportunities to stay active in an outdoor setting at Pease Park. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, we are partnering with Brooke Maudlin of Cálmate Yoga to offer Yoga en Español.

Brooke, aka Cálmate Yoga, teaches hatha yoga in Spanish and English thanks to her curiosity for blending language, culture, and yoga. She knows the benefits of yoga can and should reach into the multilingual communities in Austin. Everyone can experience the transformational power of yoga and will learn how their hour on a yoga mat can impact the other 23 hours of the day. Both as a teacher and a student, Brooke values body positivity, mindful movement, and above all - community. By blending Spanish language, culture, and yoga in a bilingual environment we create a more inclusive and diverse community.

P.S. Being bilingual is not required to join!

Learn more about Cálmate Yoga and Brooke’s offering here.

Pasa Un Día En El Parque

In celebration of Latino Conservation Week 2024, A ROCHA, Latino Outdoors, Texas Conservation Corps, and Pease Park Conservancy are coming together for a day at the park.

Pasa Un Día En El Parque is a FREE and fun for all ages event to build and engage communities in an outdoor setting. During this event, participants can learn about all the organizations and participate in free activities such as

• seed and plant swaps

• plant and animal identification games

• citizen science activities

• woodland walks

• nature inspired arts and crafts.

Click here to learn more and join the waitlist for Pasa Un Día En El Parque!

Build Community with OUR Partners

We want to take a moment to shout out the wonderful partners we have for this month’s collaborations. If you are looking for ways to stay involved outside of the park, please connect with them and check out their offerings and opportunities!

A Rocha

A Rocha is a global family of conservation organizations working together to live out God’s calling to care for creation ​and equip others to do likewise.

A Rocha projects are frequently cross-cultural in character, and share a community emphasis, with a focus on science and research, practical conservation and environmental education, through residential field study centres, site-based projects and wider advocacy.

While each A Rocha Organization is its own legal entity, we share a vision, mission, five core commitments, the A Rocha Commitment to Creation Care and a Covenant which sets out our rights and responsibilities to each other.

We respond to the global crisis of biodiversity loss by carrying out community-based conservation projects, through

• ecological monitoring and research in areas of high value for wildlife;

• practical measures for conserving and restoring habitats and their fauna and flora;

• participation in nature conservation, through environmental education and community outreach;

• providing a forum for understanding the relevance of the Christian faith to environmental issues.

Learn more about A ROCHA here.

Latino Outdoors

Latino Outdoors is a Latine-led organization that supports a national community of leaders in outdoor recreation, conservation and environmental education.

The mission of Latino Outdoors is to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring our history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented.

With an eye towards celebrating and expanding the Latine outdoor experience and bolstering the broader outdoor movement, Latino Outdoors provides leadership, mentorship, and professional development opportunities and serve as a platform for amplifying oft-overlooked cultural connections and narratives. Latino Outdoors is a space for our comunidades to be present, share our voices, and showcase how an ethic of conservation and roots in nature have been deeply embedded in la cultura Latina for generations. The programmatic pillars of Latino Outdoors are: outdoor experiences, outdoor narratives, and outdoor leadership.

Learn more about Latino Outdoors here.

Texas Conservation Corps

Texas Conservation Corps is part of American YouthWorks - an organization that helps young people realize their full potential and effect positive change within their community.

The mission of American YouthWorks is to provide young people with opportunities to build careers, strengthen communities, and improve the environment through education, on-the-job training, and service to others.

Through their two primary education and career training programs, American YouthWorks’ YouthBuild and our Conservation Corps, AYW provide the building blocks for learning and engagement that young people can build upon as they grow into adulthood.

Learn more about American YouthWorks and Texas Conservation Corps here.