The Latino community in North Carolina represents more than 10 percent of the state's total population, however many times that percentage is not reflected in activities in nature, in visits to national and state forests and the outdoor sports.
The disproportion between different ethnic and racial groups who engage in outdoor activities is known as the “nature gap.”
And although the American population is increasingly diverse and the Latino community is expected to represent 30% of the total United States by 2050, that does not necessarily mean greater diversity in outdoor activities.
For example, between 2018 and 2022 the Latino community represented only 8.1 percent of visitors to national forests and 6.9 percent in “wilderness,” or protected wild areas, according to the National Forest Service.
These percentages make the Latino community the minority with the most representation in outdoor activities, but still mark an important gap in terms of diversity in national forests and wilderness areas.
94.5 percent of visitors are white and only 1.6 are of African American origin, the same percentage that corresponds to Native Americans.
Therefore, the presence of affinity groups for minority communities collaborates in generating greater diversity in outdoor sports activities. And they are, luckily, increasingly popular and also diverse.
You may be interested:
Biltmore House: a trip to the past of luxury in the United States
Going out into nature with “Latino Adventurers”
Latinos Aventureros is a nature excursion group that seeks to foster participation and love of outdoor activities in the Latino community of North and South Carolina.
The group was founded by Sandra Aguirre and Vivianette Ortiz, and is characterized by being a space that welcomes all people of color who want to start getting to know the trails and national parks in their area. All its activities are inclusive and bilingual.
With over 1800 members and growing, Latinos Aventureros hosts a variety of free events, ranging from hiking to climbing to kayaking to camping.
These activities not only promote a healthy and active lifestyle, but also encourage connection with nature and the community.
“Through this group we have managed to introduce many people to hiking and many other sports such as kayaking, Rock climbing, running, and many more,” Sandra Aguirre explained to Enlace Latino NC
“This initiative has given many people the opportunity to experience new adventures and discover the transformative power of nature,” he added.
In addition to offering free activities, the group provides its members with equipment through “The Closet,” an initiative supported by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, providing the opportunity to borrow gear for hiking, camping, and other activities.
“We realized our community needed a group created and led by Latinos, where we feel welcome and belong,” says Latino Adventurers.
Related> tour the Great Smoky Mountains by train
Climb with “NC BIPOC Climbers”
There is also a group in North Carolina specifically dedicated to the sport of rock climbing.
Is NC BIPOC Climbers: an affinity group for the BIPOC community in which you can participate as a beginner, intermediate level, or advanced, with the help of guidance from people from the Latinx community and people of color.
“The most important thing about our group is that it puts the community first, and as part of that, it’s geared toward climbers of all levels, abilities, and interests,” Olivia Hall explained to Enlace Latino NC .
“There can be a tendency in outdoor recreational activities, such as rock climbing, to experience imposter syndrome if you're not the most intense, the most dedicated, or if you don't have as much time available to dedicate to it,” he added.
When this lack of time, equipment, or skill is combined with the fact that rock climbing has historically been dominated by white people, it can make it even more difficult for BIPOC people.
NC BIPOC Climbing is a community group specifically for Latinos and people of color who are approaching the sport for the first time, are at an intermediate level, or even people who work professionally as climbing guides.
“For us, it's about making the space and making the community feel open and welcoming to any BIPOC person who has even the slightest interest,” Halls concluded.
Mountain biking with “Riding in Color”
Mountain biking has a group called “Riding in Color“, a space dedicated to promoting free outdoor cycling for the BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities, regardless of their level of knowledge of the activity.
“As a mental health professional, it's also important to me to create these spaces so people have access to the community, and to cultivate a sense of belonging in outdoor spaces, whether parks, trails, or forests. Plus, riding a bike is a lot of fun, and I love being able to share that joy with people,” she told Enlace Latino NC the founder of this group, Diana Parra.
Riding in Color also hosts mountain bike and bike repair workshops, as well as group cycling in the woods and mountains of western North Carolina, and on urban trails in Asheville and other cities.
Regarding the underrepresentation of the Latinx community in outdoor activities, Parra explained that Riding in Color “is important because we’ve been able to cultivate a very beautiful community of people who also enjoy spending time outdoors and share similar identities, and where by spending time in the BIPOC community we’re not as exposed to microaggressions.”
Starting in March, Riding in Color will host urban bike rides every Wednesday in the city of Asheville.
Additionally, this Sunday, February 18, they will hold the "Black Cultural Heritage Trail" at 1 p.m., with free bike rentals for those who want to participate and don't have a vehicle.
Go running with WNC BIPOC Runners
WNC BIPoC Runners is a community organization that promotes the visibility and belonging of runners of color in Asheville.
Every third Sunday of the month they organize a social race in a location to be determined, which is shared through private messages with the participants.
This is a community-led affinity group for people of color that welcomes runners and walkers of all levels.
Its founder Becca Lee highlights that the group's biggest goal is to foster connections through social gatherings and races.
The main objective of these meetings is to generate a safer and more inclusive environment in outdoor spaces for all participants.
If you have participated in any of these nature activities and want to share your experience with us, let us know in the comments.
PODCAST
After the storm
A year ago, Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina. The Latino community responded with something stronger than the storm: solidarity.
🎧 In this episode, learn how Latino organizations transformed crisis into resilience.
▶️Press play to listen!
Republish our stories for free on your website or newspaper. We follow the Creative Commons license. Click the box and follow the instructions.
