From Passion to Action: How This Toolkit Helped Zlatka Rebolledo Sánchez Connect with Her Community and the Ocean

What started as a collaboration turned into a powerful journey of learning and connection. As Rebolledo Sánchez first joined the Hispanic Access Foundation’s ocean conservation project to create Nuestro Mar, Nuestro Futuro: A Sustainable Seafood Guide alongside Ocean Manager Sofia Barboza and marine scientist Melissa Márquez, she began to see ocean science not as something distant, but as something deeply personal—and deeply rooted in the Latino experience.

Hispanic Access Foundation Opposes the Public Lands Sell-Off in Budget Reconciliation Bill

On June 11, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) released the Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s budget reconciliation text, which includes sweeping provisions that would mandate the sale of over 2 million acres of public lands across 11 western states. This Senate proposal significantly builds on a version of the reconciliation bill passed earlier by the U.S. House of Representatives, which called for the sale of approximately 500,000 acres of public lands in Utah and Nevada, alongside rollbacks to key environmental protections. In response, Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, issued the following statement:

Hispanic Access Foundation’s Statement on Ocean Protection Rollbacks in 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill

On May 22, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2025 budget reconciliation bill, which includes the repeal of offshore clean ocean energy credits, cuts to coastal air pollution and methane monitoring and reduction programs, rollbacks of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, and the defunding of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In response, Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, issued the following statement:

Hispanic Access Foundation's Statement on Methane Protections Rollbacks in 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill

On May 22, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2025 budget reconciliation bill which includes the defunding, delay, and weakening of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program and Waste Emissions Charge (also known as the methane polluter fee). In response, Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, issued the following statement:

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.