Latest News
Hispanic Access Celebrates Final Environmental Document Issued Ahead of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Designation
On September 6, the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) entered its final phase when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This marks a major milestone in preserving the Chumash people's rich cultural and ecological heritage while reinforcing the administration’s commitment to environmental protection.
Hispanic Access Foundation’s MANO Project Launches Career Pathways Grants Program with Parks California
Hispanic Access Foundation is honored to announce its partnership with Parks California for the Career Pathways program. Together, with the East Bay Regional Park District, they will create pathways for young Latinos to pursue careers in public lands by placing three talented young Latino professionals in substantive, paid six-month internships with the East Bay Regional Park District in 2025.
PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE: MS Latinos call for cleaner environment along Mississippi River
The latest survey of Latino voters in Mississippi and nine other states reveals overwhelming support for environmental initiatives, with 87% favoring projects promoting a cleaner environment.
Hispanic Access’ Statement on Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, and Representative Schiff’s Call for Designation of the proposed Sáttítla National Monument
Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Representative Adam Schiff sent a letter to President Joe Biden, calling for the President to use the Antiquities Act to designate Sáttítla National Monument. In response, Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, released the following statement:
Latest Blog
Learning, Teaching, and Growing in Almont, Colorado: The Taylor Challenge Experience
Spending four days in the remote mountains of Almont, Colorado, teaching middle schoolers how to fish during the Taylor Challenge was an experience that deeply resonated with me. Not only did it allow me to share a skill, but it also gave me the opportunity to engage with young students in an outdoor setting, something I have always cherished. The awe-inspiring beauty of the Colorado mountains provided a breathtaking backdrop for this adventure, making every lesson and conversation even more meaningful.
In the photos, you can see the students eagerly learning to tie knots, patiently practicing their casting, and standing together in the vastness of the mountains—each one building confidence not just in their ability to fish but also in themselves. I remember feeling a sense of fulfillment as I watched them learn, knowing that this moment was more than just about catching fish. It was about building relationships with nature and each other, an experience that will stay with them for years to come.
This incredible opportunity would not have been possible without the support of the Hispanic Access Foundation. They have connected me with opportunities that continue to enhance my personal and professional growth. The networking they provide has allowed me to travel, explore new places, and expand my skill set while fostering connections with communities I might not otherwise have encountered.
I am incredibly grateful for this experience and the ways in which it contributes to my career development. The ability to travel to such places, to teach and inspire, is something I don’t take for granted. I feel blessed to be part of a community that values diversity and leadership development and pushes me to learn and grow in every aspect of my life.
As I move forward in my journey, I carry with me the lessons learned from the Taylor Challenge, the breathtaking beauty of the Colorado landscape, and the lasting connections I made. I look forward to many more such experiences, thanks to the support of organizations like the Hispanic Access Foundation.
Finding Connection Through Bats & Butterflies
This month, I have started working on my first outreach project! I have been curating outreach materials for an upcoming event called Ohio Bat Fest. I have attended this community event for the past two years and I absolutely adore it. There are booths set up from different organizations in the area to share information to the community about bat research, the importance of bats in the ecosystem, and how individuals can help bats in their own backyards through native flower planting and bat boxes. The event also has activities for kids such as origami bat making and coloring pages to teach future generations the importance of bats and to help destigmatize the public’s perception of bats.
I had planned on reaching out to the organizers of Bat Fest to inquire about having a USFWS booth at this year’s event. As I was sitting down to write them an email, we got a phone call from them asking us to be a part of the event! It turns out the person on the phone was my TA from college--what a small world! I have decided to create my informational booth about the Indiana bat, which is an endangered species that the biologists in my office have been working with for many years. I am looking forward to creating a poster board showing all of the amazing work that has been done to protect these bats, and I can’t wait to be able to share our work with the community.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I have been assisting with moth and butterfly surveys at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio to determine what species are present in the remnant prairie located on base. As monarch butterfly migration begins, we have joined the Monarch Watch program to aid in migration research. Last week, I had the opportunity to tag my first monarch! We received a set of tagging stickers with specific codes on each to identify where and when each monarch was tagged. Researchers in monarch migration sites in Mexico will search for monarchs with these tags to track the migration of these butterflies.
I have also been assisting with some office organization by going through old files to enter to our online database. It hasn’t been the most exciting work, but a lot of the papers I have been reading were created before I was born. There have been people working on protecting endangered species for decades, and seeing this old work has made me feel connected to something larger. There have been people who care before I was alive, and there will be people who care after I’m gone.
I think one of the best parts of my internship has been being able to meet so many people from all different parts of the country who care so deeply for the wellbeing of our planet and the species we share it with. It’s very easy for me to get caught up in climate doom and a nihilistic view of the future of our planet from increasing fossil fuel use and unsustainable business and developmental practices. However, this internship has shown me how to be hopeful for our future. There are so many people out there who care for our world and have dedicated their lives to protecting and preserving the amazing biodiversity all around us. I get to work with the local community to educate people about the work we do to conserve bats, the community across North America to research monarch butterfly migration, and the community of scientists that came before me. I feel so incredibly lucky for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to see what comes next
Honoring History
One of the most important things I’ve come to recognize during my fellowship is the unique character of each refuge. Their cultures and norms are shaped by the region, the people who work there, and the surrounding communities. The Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, which comprises seven distinct refuges, exemplifies this diversity. Despite being a part of a complex, each refuge stands out in terms of its appearance, accessibility, visitation patterns, activities, and the communities it serves. These differences influence every aspect of the refuge, from events and programs to daily interactions.
A notable example within the Savannah Complex is the Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). This year marked the fourth anniversary of the Diaspora event. For this event, we collaborate with the Harris Neck community to honor the refuge's history. Specifically, the Diaspora commemorates the displacement of residents that once occupied the land that makes up the current refuge. This land was seized under eminent domain during World War II and 75 families were required to leave. Later, the land was transferred to the Fish & Wildlife Service for management.
The rich and complex history of the Harris Neck NWR is honored annually at the Diaspora event. During the Diaspora Celebration, we tour various significant sites across the refuge that once formed the heart of the community, including a post office, school, cemetery, and church. Many of these sites were rediscovered through the efforts of archaeologists and the memories of former residents. The event serves as a poignant reminder of the land's history, with community members and speakers sharing stories about the Gullah Geechee heritage, the significance of unity, and the hope of reclaiming their land one day. I had the privilege of participating in the planning and preparation for this year’s event, as well as joining the community during the celebration. This was my first large event as a fellow and I think it was great to experience early on in my fellowship.
What left the deepest impression on me was the community’s passion and the strong, collaborative relationship they have cultivated with the Fish & Wildlife Service. The Diaspora event is an example of unity and highlights the profound impact of fostering trust and mutual understanding. It also demonstrates how recognizing and honoring history can be both dynamic and community centered. By handling logistics, gathering materials, and supporting the event’s execution, we showed what is possible when we genuinely listen to and engage with the community’s needs and aspirations. This experience has not only shaped my approach to community engagement but will also guide my work throughout the remainder of my fellowship and beyond, reinforcing the value of empathetic and collaborative outreach.
Learning the Ropes: My First Two Months as a Pollinator Intern
Hi everyone! My name is Alyssa Corder and I am currently a Pollinator Conservation and Outreach intern at the MN-WI Ecological Services field office in Bloomington, MN. I started on July 1st, and throughout my first two months I have had many opportunities to explore.
I have participated in five Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (RPBB) surveys these past two months. In these surveys we spend 30 minutes meandering the fields, marking what species of bumble bees we see, with a hopeful emphasis on the RPBB. So far I’ve been able to find three RPBB, on three different survey days. It has been amazing to see an endangered species in person, and to see that they still have populations in Minneapolis!
I also had the opportunity to go to North Dakota to meet some of their Ecological Services biologists. We went there from July 10th through 12th, and we spent one full day out in the field looking for Dakota Skippers (DASK). That day we got to see the different types of DASK habitats and even got to see a few in the wild! Within the first two months of my internship I’ve been able to see both the threatened DASK and the endangered RPBB. I’m very thankful that I’ve seen both, and hopefully in the future we will see more!
On July 20th, I got to participate in the Latino Nature Fest hosted by the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. It was a great day to experience outreach with the public and more diverse communities. There I got to work at the welcome desk, where I saw hundreds of excited families enter and leave the festival. In July, I also participated in the Midwest Intern Workshop. Because I went early on in my internship it gave me an extensive overview on the departments and subdivisions within the US Fish and Wildlife. I got to see many presentations from both staff and fellow interns, which educated me on the many opportunities and research that is currently being done.
Over the month of August, I have been developing flyers and outreach tables for the next couple months. I created informational posters for my core species (Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Dakota Skipper, and Karner Blue Butterfly) and had my first table at the Hmong Market in St. Paul, MN. I have four more tables at local farmers markets in September and October that I am also looking forward to! In August I also participated in Monarch tagging and took a tour of the MN Zoo’s conservation programs. There we got to see the Dakota Skipper and Poweshiek Skipperling rearing facilities, along with the freshwater mussels and turtles rearing facilities.
Overall, I have had an amazing first two months with the MN-WI Ecological Services. I have met so many people, and have learned so much about pollinator conservation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. I am very excited for the future, and the opportunities that I will have over the next 4 months!
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