Hispanos Unidos: La Gente: Founder, Advocate, and Visionary Maite Arce

Building Community from the Ground Up: The Heart Behind Maite Arce’s Work

When Maite Arce reflects on the founding of Hispanic Access Foundation, she doesn’t begin with policy or plans. She begins with the quiet, steady example of her parents, and a commitment that began long before it even had a name.

Empowered to Lead: How Hispanic Access Helped Anais Martinez Amplify Her Impact in STEM

“I now feel more equipped than ever to mentor and guide youth, especially those who, like me, come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in STEM,” says Anais Martinez, an educator whose leadership and confidence have grown thanks to her involvement with Hispanic Access Foundation.

MSN: Latino Leaders Seek To Engage Voters And Increase Turnout: 'We're Missing On a Big Chunk Of Our Community'

Latino support for President Donald Trump has plummeted, with some figures showing 20-point drop (46% to 26%) in approval rating in the administration's first 100 days. During the 2024 general election cycle, Latinos were a key demographic to cement Trump's victory. Now, in this shifting context, an advocacy foundation is seeking to raise awareness about the importance of properly catering to the demographic, especially those who are not going out to vote.

Hispanic Access Announces Collaboration with Sunbelt Rentals’ Juntos ERG to Support the MANO Project

Hispanic Access is excited to collaborate with one of Sunbelt Rentals' Employee Resource Groups (ERG), JUNTOS, to support the MANO Project program. JUNTOS has made a significant monetary investment to advance the MANO Project’s mission to help the next generation of leaders build successful careers by connecting them with valuable workforce development opportunities.

Pollinator Conservation: My Internship Takeaway

Hi everyone! As I am writing this blog, it is my last day as a Pollinator Conservation and Outreach Intern with the Minnesota-Wisconsin Ecological Services. I started this internship in July, and since then I have been able to learn so much through several people and opportunities within the service. I’m incredibly grateful for my amazing office, and for the many relationships I have built through these past 7 months. 

Before I started this internship, I was a recent graduate unsure about my path in the environmental field. I knew I had a passion for animals and wildlife conservation, but was stuck trying to figure out where this would leave me. This internship has taught me so much about the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, endangered species, pollinator conservation, ecological data management, and community outreach. And in all of these stages, there is an emphasis on people in conservation. This field requires multiple perspectives, backgrounds, and openness to the unknown. Additionally, our research and science wouldn’t mean much if we can’t translate that to the greater public. Which is why I think it is important to always find a bridge between people and environmental science through community engagement and outreach. Through this internship, I also discovered that I enjoy scientific writing and data management for ecological conservation. Both of these interests, technical writing and community science, are two big components of my upcoming role as a Nature Study Development Coordinator in Reno, NV. 

Working with the MN-WI Ecological Services and MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge has given me unforgettable experiences and memories. Some of my favorite moments were finding 3 Rusty Patched Bumble Bees, seeing Dakota Skippers in the wild, helping with Monarch tagging, and participating in both the Latino Nature Fest and Bat Festival. These moments are just small examples of the amazing opportunities I have had with my office, and they all continued to grow my passion for wildlife conservation.

Chuckwalla National Monument: A Legacy of Love and Preservation

As a pastor, I have dedicated the past 30 years to serving the people of this community in Indio, California. This land is not just a landscape, but a source of life, faith, and heritage. My heart is filled with gratitude and joy for the official designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument on January 14, protecting 644,000 acres of desert in southern California, offering much-needed access to outdoor recreation areas for Latinos, reflecting years of hard work, community advocacy, and a deep love for the beautiful desert we are blessed to call home.

Looking Forward While Looking Back on my First Year in my Fellowship with the NPS-RTCA Program

Over the past several months, I completed the first year of my fellowship with the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program based in Seattle, and began the start of my 6-month fellowship extension with the same program.

Leave No Trace for a Better Place

In my current internship for the Forest Service, I serve as the Sub-Reginal Volunteer Coordinator for the Cleveland National Forest, the southernmost forest in California and only 5 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.