Changes on the horizon for Whatcom nonprofit connecting Latinx families with outdoors

Whatcom County’s great outdoors are for everyone — in theory. But the numbers tell a different story.

In 2015, about 9% of Whatcom’s population identified as Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the same year, less than 4% of visitors surveyed at the nearby Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The Whatcom nonprofit Vamos Outdoors Project is trying to close that gap, providing Latino and English Language Learner families with the opportunity to mountain bike, backpack and rock climb. This year will bring big steps forward for the organization, which was founded in 2018: Its team plans on expanding its work in Skagit County and growing its snowboarding program, which was introduced last year.

The northwest corner of Washington is bursting with outdoor recreation opportunities, but many are expensive, time-intensive and can be dangerous if you don’t have some prior skill. Take snow sports, for example: Some of the country’s best skiing is just a drive away for Whatcom residents, but many families miss out on those experiences because of the aforementioned obstacles. For some Latinx children, that means that the only outdoor spaces they see themselves in are in the context of working in agriculture or aquaculture, said Clara Artiaga, a member of Vamos’ leadership team.

“It becomes difficult to see yourself in those spaces,” Artiaga said. “They don’t see themselves doing those activities until they see someone who looks like them doing it.”

That last part is important, said Artiaga, who was born in Mexico and immigrated with her family to California’s Central Valley when she was a child. Vamos strives to provide more than just outdoor activities — it seeks to provide a sense of mentorship and community. Camping isn’t a common activity for Mexican immigrants, Artiaga said, and working with Vamos has given her many of her first outdoor recreation experiences as well.

Vamos provides everything a child needs to participate in any of their activities, including transportation, gear, passes and meals. The organization is funded with an amalgamation of grants, donations and contracts with school districts. Vamos collaborates with the Bellingham, Lynden, Burlington-Edison and Mount Vernon school districts.

In 2022, Vamos will begin providing out-of-school services in Skagit County, rather than just programs through the school district. Vamos runs a summer school program for migrant youth and hopes to expand the curriculum to offer students a greater appreciation for their own native culture and identity.

In some cases, the impact of Vamos is easy to see, said the nonprofit’s leaders: A student whose parents work in agriculture was introduced to snowboarding last year and fell in love with the sport. He got a job at Mount Baker Ski Area this season.

“Those pathways are really a focus for Vamos,” said Meriel Kaminsky, another member of the Vamos leadership team. “Building accessibility not only to the sport but to mentors in fields they are interested in going into.”

A four-year-old girl started the day at the Waypoint Park pump track adamant that she needed training wheels on her bike, Artiaga remembers. Hours later, she had gotten rid of the training wheels and was hollering with joy and confidence.

“She’s now so ready to go into kindergarten,” Artiaga said.

Then there’s the Garcia family, who lives in Bellingham. All four children — Edwin, Valentin, Yamiletxi and Yanely — have been involved in Vamos programs for several years now. They’ve received mountain bikes through the nonprofit, climbed at Vital Climbing Gym in downtown Bellingham and learned all sorts of lessons about the outdoors and their own abilities.

Yamiletxi, who is 14 years old, remembers that she almost quit mountain biking after a nasty fall. But by dusting herself off and continuing to bike, she learned an important lesson.

“Don’t be scared,” Yamiletxi said. “Don’t feel as if you are supposed to be good at stuff that you have never really tried. Keep going.”