by Ana Gorla
We kicked off Latinx Conservation Week in Arizona with a stargazing event near the proposed Great Bend of the Gila National Monument.
We got to the Painted Rock Petroglyph campsite as the light was leaving the sky, just in time to get a glimpse of the rich history that’s in this part of the Sonoran Desert. We walked around the Painted Rock and studied the beautiful petroglyphs left there by the people who walked and lived in these lands long before us. As we talked about the significance of this place we shared the importance of protecting this history from the sprawling of our cities. Everyone there had heard about the Great Bend of the Gila, but it was there where they were able to see for themselves how truly special this place is and why so many of us are trying hard to get this new national monument established.
After heading to our stargazing spot (and running into a resident of the campsite, a rattlesnake) we got into our community circle to talk about why Latinx Conservation Week is important for our Latinx community. We got to learn about each other and where our Latinx heritages come from. We also touched on other conservation subjects like the problem with light pollution in our wild spaces and wildfires. We followed the circle talks with some Mexican food provided by a local Gila Bend Carniceria, Mercado de Amigos.
Soon the stargazing began. Some folks walked through the stars using our constellation map apps, while others got an amazing glimpse of the moon and Saturn. Some even braved the desert at night and used a black light to look for smaller evening desert dwellers like scorpions and beetles.
We wrapped up the night with some smores and headed back to the city. It was touching to me to lead my first all Spanish-speaking outing and remind me of how providing outings this way not only means a lot to me but we also received a lot of positive feedback from community members as well. Someone shared how much they love going outdoors but nothing compares to doing so in community.
by Ana Gorla, Energy and Public Lands Coordinater for the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club