More than 200 community leaders, government officials, conservation advocates, academics and philanthropic partners gathered today at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County for Pathways to 30x30 and Beyond: Urban Nature, a convening focused on the role communities and cities can play in advancing California’s goal of conserving 30% of its lands and waters by 2030. Hosted by Hispanic Access Foundation, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and UCLA Sustainability, the convening brought leaders across sectors together to strengthen connections, elevate community-driven solutions and explore how urban conservation can protect biodiversity, build climate resilience and connect more families to nature.

The event spotlighted Pathway 9 of California’s 30x30 strategy, which recognizes the importance of protecting “in-between” spaces—including farms, ranches, suburban neighborhoods and urban areas—that connect natural areas and support biodiversity. Through conversations highlighting efforts across the City and County of Los Angeles and throughout California, participants explored how local leadership, cross-sector partnerships and community advocacy can help shape the decisions, policies and investments that affect communities and conservation.

By creating space for community leaders to exchange ideas, build relationships and engage directly with decision-makers, the convening highlighted the importance of ensuring that the people closest to these issues have a meaningful role in shaping solutions.

“Latino leaders already have the knowledge, relationships and solutions to address the challenges facing their communities. Our role is to walk alongside them—connecting leaders to one another and to the systems where decisions are made so they can turn community-driven solutions into lasting change,” said Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “Achieving 30x30 requires communities to be more than participants in conservation. They must have the opportunity and influence to help shape what conservation looks like in the places they call home.”

That approach is central to Hispanic Access Foundation’s work to cultivate Latino leadership and strengthen the relationships and networks that help communities turn local knowledge and solutions into collective action and lasting impact. 

Participants included Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency; Randall Winston, Deputy Mayor of Public Works for the City of Los Angeles; Rita Kampalath, Chief Sustainability Officer for the County of Los Angeles; Miguel Luna, Chief Administrative Officer for the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians; Anthony Redblood Morales, Chief of the Gabrieleno Tongva-San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians; Lori Bettison-Varga, President and Director of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation; and Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer at UCLA.

Pathways to 30x30 and Beyond: Urban Nature underscored that lasting conservation solutions are strongest when communities are connected, their leadership is valued and they have opportunities to help shape the decisions that affect the places they call home.

Hispanic Access Foundation's newly released public lands toolkit gives Latino communities a clear, accessible guide to understanding the U.S. public lands system and participating more effectively in the decisions that shape these shared spaces. Navigating the system can be challenging, with multiple agencies, complex legislation, and regulatory processes that often create barriers to meaningful public participation.

Hispanic Access Foundation has published a Spanish-language edition of its wildfire resiliency white paper, giving Latino families, outdoor workers, and local leaders a critical safety resource in the language many rely on most. The Spanish edition, “Incendios Forestales: Comunidades Latinas y el Camino hacia la Resiliencia,” mirrors the English white paper’s guidance on wildfire preparedness, worker protections, and community-led resilience, while removing a language barrier that has long limited who can act on it.

Hispanic Access Foundation officially announced the launch of its newly finalized 2026-2027 Mentor-Mentee cohort under the Pathways to Science program. This year-long college preparation and leadership program walks alongside local high school students in grades 10 through 12, equipping them with the tools, confidence, and networks needed to successfully transition into higher education and professional careers. This year, the program welcomes 28 youth who have previously attended Pathways to Science STEM and Health talks, pairing them with 14 established mentors across different career sectors. 

By pairing these motivated high school students with accomplished professionals from different sectors, the program establishes trusted relationships that foster mutual growth. The initiative cultivates organic pipelines of opportunity by engaging local talent, expanding professional skills, and developing strong support networks that equip individuals to pursue a higher education.

Throughout the academic year, the selected student participants will attend monthly workshops focused on academic readiness, leadership development, and effective communication. Each workshop is paired with a one-on-one mentoring conversation, creating a dedicated space for reflection, career exploration in STEM and Health Sciences, and personal growth. Simultaneously, the program provides the post-graduate mentors with advanced coaching and leadership training, strengthening their capacity to serve as impactful leaders.

"True impact happens when we bring leadership development, trusted networks, and career pathway exposure together," said Yashira Valentin-Feliciano, STEM Program Manager of Hispanic Access Foundation. "With this year's Pathways to Science Mentor-Mentee cohort officially locked in, we are excited to see these equipped individuals share their knowledge, lift and inspire youth as they prepare for college, and ultimately shape the future of the science and health fields in the United States."

Hispanic Access Foundation develops and connects Latino leaders to influence systems, shape narratives, and drive collective action that strengthens communities and advances a thriving nation. Through Pathways to Science and other initiatives, the organization builds trusted regional networks that expand opportunity, foster leadership, and create lasting change.

For more information about Pathways to Science or to get involved, visit
https://hispanicaccess.org/what-we-do/senderos-a-la-ciencia

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25GM150175. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Waterkeeper Alliance, in partnership with Hispanic Access Foundation, released a Spanish-language version of the PFAS Phase II Report, expanding access to findings that reveal toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected in 98% of tested U.S. waterways across 19 states. The translated report provides Spanish-speaking communities with critical information about contamination from toxic “forever chemicals” and supports greater participation from frontline communities in efforts to advance solutions.

In response to the Administration’s decision to reduce nearly 3 million acres from Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments, Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, issued the following statement:

“This decision is a serious setback for Tribal sovereignty, Indigenous stewardship, and the future of these irreplaceable American landscapes.

Why it matters: Bears Ears is more than lines on a map. It is a living cultural landscape with deep ancestral, spiritual, and historical significance to the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Tribe, and Pueblo of Zuni. By reducing the role of the Bears Ears Commission and limiting the voice of these Tribal Nations, the Administration disregards the leadership and deep knowledge that have sustained this land for millennia. This is not merely a boundary adjustment. It undermines Indigenous leadership and long-standing shared stewardship of these lands.

Public lands like these also matter deeply to Latino families and communities across the country. They provide places for health, education, recreation, and connection to our common heritage. When protections are removed and cultural resources, watersheds, and wildlife habitats are placed at risk, opportunity narrows for all of us who care about a strong, shared future on these lands.

By removing protections from nearly 3 million acres, lands outside the new boundaries become open after 60 days to mining claims, mineral and geothermal leasing, and other uses under public lands law. Once these places and the stories, knowledge, and relationships they hold are damaged, they cannot simply be restored. A thriving America rests on the strength of our natural resources and the leadership that cares for them.

Hispanic Access Foundation walks alongside communities as a leadership catalyst. We cultivate leaders, strengthen networks of trust, and help expand access to the systems that shape opportunity. We stand with Tribal Nations and local communities to protect these landscapes. Our public lands are a shared inheritance, and we have a responsibility to safeguard them so current and future generations remain connected to culture, history, and the natural world.

By investing in Latino leaders and walking alongside Indigenous stewards, we advance a thriving nation that lifts all people.”