Today we’d like to introduce you to Josie Gutierrez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My childhood was nothing but outdoor play. My friends and I rode our bikes, skated, played tag, practiced our cheerleading routines, and just had silly conversations…afuera. Growing up in the late 70’s, early 80’s was an absolute blast. You only had a few channels to watch on TV and not many distractions. I played outside till my heart was content. This was my foundation. Afuera was my happy place. What I didn’t know was that there was so much more to explore in nature. I knew of a few local parks in San Antonio, but that’s where we went to celebrate Easter or a birthday party. I had no clue that there was such a thing as Texas State Parks or even National Parks. Camping was never something any of my family thought to do. Camping was what people did on TV or in scary movies, lol. Imagine my surprise when a friend invited me to go camping at Garner State Park in the summer of 1986 (pre-social media). The Frio River. The hills. The cypress trees. Happy families waving. This magical place solidified my love for nature and piqued my curiosity for more park experiences. It was a given that I would share this place with my friends and family throughout the years. We explored other parks but Garner was always the park we gravitated back to. Fast forward to 2015, I was asked to be the Texas Ambassador for Latinooutdoors.org. Their mission to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, was all they had to say. Six years later, the Texas Chapter is going strong. We have been able to connect thousands of Latinos to Texas Parks and so much more. I know how important nature is for our soul and there was no way I wasn’t going to be part of the Latino Outdoors familia. Community and culture are a huge part of my life and being able to connect this as part of the outdoor narrative was a no-brainer.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Taking first time Latino families camping, kayaking, and hiking, was definitely a struggle. New outdoor experiences and recreation come with many questions. When I first started, Latino outdoors was still in the early phases of what the future would look like. I was part of that process. We did not have a monthly budget to do outings back then. I had to get really resourceful and this was also a great opportunity to get to know the outdoor organizations in San Antonio and nearby Austin. I partnered as much as I could to create any outdoor event. What feels like a struggle is only a small obstacle that we seem to get over pretty quickly. Thanks in part to the beautiful outdoor community in San Antonio and Austin.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Community Health Worker with the City of San Antonio. I absolutely love what I do. Being able to work in a community full time and see what we can create, sustain and build together is so fulfilling. I am proud to be a part of positive change for the communities I work and volunteer with. I do this because together we can achieve so much more.
What matters most to you? Why?
Kindness and respect for community and culture. Without this, we lose the ability to really connect and understand situations. This can then lead to growth and positive change for all.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @chicafuera
- Facebook: Latinooutdoors San Antonio/Austin
Image Credits
Josie Gutierrez
