Esto es Colorado | Guillermo Saenz
Guillermo Saenz moved to Colorado in 2016 and fell in love with the outdoors. As Guillermo explored his new backyard, the incredible Rocky Mountains, he noticed there weren’t many other Latino recreationists like him. Guillermo noticed that the Latinos he saw hiking and exploring the outdoors were often unprepared for the rugged landscapes, unpredictable weather, and difficult trails. “I was hiking in Eldorado Canyon and saw a huge influx of Latinos hiking and was excited to see them, but they were dressed for church and not prepared for the trail. That same group had a huge catered meal at the picnic area, so they were prepared for the food but not the hike. The more hikes I went on, the more I saw Latino people without the basic needs to explore the outdoors like good shoes, water, or food.”
With the help of a marketing teammate, Juan "Paquito" Cabrera, Guillermo launched Esto es Colorado, a Facebook page that supports the Colorado Latino community in outdoor adventures and provides education and preparedness tools for Latinos looking to get out and explore the mountains.
Last year Guillermo met Zelzin, the first Mexican person to complete the triple crown (through hiking all three major long-distance trails that span the US from Mexico to Canada). Zelzin, like Guillermo, is passionate about Latino representation in outdoor spaces and educating the Latino community on how to explore the outdoors safely. Now, Guillermo, Paquito, and Zelzin are partnering to educate Latinos across the Front Range of Colorado on outdoor preparedness, while also creating a safe space for Latinos to feel represented and supported in the outdoor adventure world.
Can you describe your project and what you hope to achieve from it?
Esto es Colorado has over 3,000 followers and currently provides ideas, news, and information for Colorado Latinos looking to hike, bike, ski, camp, you name it in the mountains of Colorado. Now Guillermo is ready to take Esto es Colorado to the next level by providing in-person educational experiences with the help of community members like Zelzin.
“We want to bring outdoors skills with a through hike mindset to LatinX community members to be more prepared.” Esto es Colorado is planning on hosting an educational class with Zelzin as the key speaker in September and has many other educational classes and outreach projects in the works.
Why is it important to you?
“The kind of mysterious connection you have with nature, and she is there for us. And the power of mental clarity that comes with it, the power of whole body wellness, from a mind, spirit, body approach.”
Guillermo believes in the power of nature and wants to share that with his community. Esto es Colorado focuses on three main aspects of spending time in the outdoors: wellness, adventure, and culture.
Wellness: Regular exercise and spending time outside can positively impact common diseases found in Latino communities, such as high cholesterol and diabetes.
Adventure: “We all kind of yearn for that sense of adventure,” unfortunately preparedness and education often prevent people from pursuing that sense of adventure.
Culture: “To know that people like you are out there enjoying this. Knowing there is a sense of community and that you are not the only one.” Representation matters, and Guillermo is committed to providing cultural representation and connection in the outdoors. According to the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Latinos make up over 21% of Colorado's population.
What impact do you expect this project to have?
Esto es Colorado is growing and expanding its services by providing these educational events. Starting in the Denver Metro Area and the Front Range of Colorado, Guillermo hopes to reach more people through educational events and a continued online presence. Eventually, Guillermo hopes to expand to other, more rural parts of Colorado and maybe even take this program nationally. Esto es Colorado is currently focusing on the Latinos who are already out on the trails, helping them by providing trail and wilderness education and creating a space for those outdoor recreationists to feel seen and supported. Someday, Guillermo hopes to provide resources and support for people who aren’t already out on the trails.
To learn more about Esto es Colorado and stay up to date on upcoming events, check out their Facebook page!
