WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- This weekend, the third annual Latino Conservation Week
(#LatinoConservationWeek, #LCW2016) kicks off, continues through
July 24 and will be celebrated with
more than 100 events nationwide. The week is an opportunity for
Latinos to demonstrate their passion for enjoying and protecting
public lands through various outings, volunteer cleanups,
educational events, roundtable discussions, film screenings and
numerous other community activities in 17 states stretching from
Massachusetts to California.
"Latinos are passionate about enjoying the outdoors and hold a
strong belief that we have a moral obligation to protect it for
future generations," said Maite
Arce, president of Hispanic Access Foundation, which
launched Latino Conservation Week in 2014 in its effort to showcase
this community's commitment to the outdoors and provide
opportunities for engagement. "The week's events will introduce
Latinos to new opportunities, new locations and new ways to
translate their passion for the outdoors into making a difference
for our nation's treasured natural resources."
Historically, Latinos have not been actively engaged to
participate in our nation's public lands. Even with widely
documented support, only eight percent of Latinos engaged in
outdoor recreation in 2015, according to the Outdoor Foundation.
Latino Conservation Week helps to break down barriers to the Latino
population's enjoyment of public lands, encourages new
opportunities to experience these sites, creates a unique platform
for groups to reach out to this community and inspires the next
generation of environmental stewards.
"As the largest minority group in America – one that is expected
to grow to nearly one-third the population by 2050 – the Latino
community's engagement is critical to ensuring the future success
and preservation of our nation's public lands," said Arce. "We
appreciate the vast number of event partners and sponsors who
recognize the importance of encouraging more Latinos to go outdoors
and experiencing all that our nation's public lands have to
offer."
Nearly 60 parks, organizations and community groups have joined
Latino Conservation Week as sponsors and event partners. These
include National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services,
U.S. Forest Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, REI, Por la
Creacion: Faith-based Alliance, Latino Outdoors, Mountains
Recreation and Conservation Authority, Sierra Club, COFEM, Atlanta
Audubon Society, Los Angeles Audubon Society, Wilderness Society,
New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Conservation Lands Foundation,
Impacto Juvenil and Latinos for Parks. A full list of participating
groups is available here.
"The growth in participation and interest of Latino Conservation
Week has been tremendous. What started as 17 events in six states
has grown – in just three years – to more than 100 events in as
many as 17 states," said Arce. "This is a collaborative effort with
the potential to have a significant positive impact on the Latino
community and our nation's treasured spaces."
Events are currently scheduled in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New
Mexico, New York,
Texas, Virginia, and Washington. A full list of confirmed events
is available at
http://www.latinoconservationweek.com/index.php/events.
For media that would like to participate in any of these events,
request interviews or need additional information, please contact
Robert Fanger at
Robert@hispanicaccess.org.
About Hispanic Access Foundation
Hispanic Access
Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that improves the
lives of Hispanics in the United States and promotes civic
engagement by educating, motivating and helping them access
trustworthy support systems. Our vision is that all Hispanics
throughout the U.S. enjoy good physical health, a healthy natural
environment, a quality education, economic success and civic
engagement in their communities with the sum improving the future
of America. For more information visit www.hispanicaccess.org.
Contact: Robert
Fanger
P: 317-410-7668
E: robert@hispanicaccess.org
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SOURCE Hispanic Access Foundation