We invite all Latinx families to discover the beauty and wonder of nature, one Sendero (trail) at a time. Every Saturday, we explore a different local path together, building community and joy in our incredible parks and open spaces. Together, we identify barriers and explore strategies and activities for overcoming them through sustainable participation and collective leadership.
Collective leadership thrives here! We create a safe and welcoming space where everyone's voice matters. Free from imposed programming, we explore, lead, and share our unique skills in every experience. Spanish is our common language, fostering equity. This is our journey, without external agendas, empowering each of us to be true leaders and co-creators of our shared adventures, free from hierarchies.
Senderos de Boulder empowers all ages, revealing the safety, fun, and fulfillment of outdoor experiences in Mother Earth's inclusive embrace. Week after week, hand in hand with family and community, we've now traversed over 200 trails, deepening our connection to nature and enhancing our physical and emotional well-being. Families are amazed by the positive transformation they've witnessed!
Our vibrant community continues to grow and explore beyond the trails. We now confidently use telescopes during our monthly full moon walks and sky watching with Fiske Planetarium and the Sommers Bausch Observatory, find healing and expression through art therapy at Naropa University, nurture our shared Community Garden (Jardin de la Alegría) at Growing Gardens, and engage in vital community climate conversations at the Junkyard Social Club. Join us as we continue to grow, explore, lead the way, and deepen our connection to each other and our world, together.
Values
The unique heartbeat of Explorando Senderos de Boulder fuels our remarkable growth and authentic community impact. Unlike typical programs organized by external entities, we thrive on shared leadership, the strength of Latinx families supporting each other, co-created experiences, and at its core, love.
Our ethos centers on trust and mutual respect, blossoming beyond rigid structures, traditional instruction, or external authority. This empowers our Senderistas to shape our journeys, cultivate confidence, and evolve into community leaders. Each "Sendero" transforms from a simple walk into a deeply personal outdoor experience, offering a vital space to disconnect from the demands of modern life, intimately reconnect with the natural world, and nurture the bonds of family and self.
Connection with nature and its healing potential: The weekly Senderos have created structured time allowing participants to prioritize a connection to nature, while tending to their own physical and mental wellbeing. Participants experience first hand how safe, fun, and necessary these outdoor adventures can be.
Focus on family: Latinx families have strong legacies of culture, knowledge, and confidence to impart to their children. Parents, grandparents, and the community are the most vital link to cultural heritage. Many programs take a colonialist approach that systematically dismisses elders and only involves the child. We consider the involvement of the entire family unit at every event. When programs involve every member of the family, a space of empowerment, confidence, creativity, and healing is developed and felt by all. Storytelling comes to life, and family ties are strengthened, celebrated, and recognized.
Guiding Principles
Collective leadership: Collective leadership is cultivated through safe space and a strong sense of community. No program or activity is imposed on the group. The families appreciate that the experiences are their own to develop and lead, without expectations, agendas, or the influence of outside groups. Establishing this as an essential component of the movement allows the Senderistas to direct these experiences with confidence.
Empowerment: We empower our members to share their unique voice and skills, so the experiences can be tailored by and for all participants. This is accomplished through relationship and trust building, patience and kindness, and appropriate communication in the participants’ native Spanish language.