Our Story

Exploring, Connecting, Transforming: A Cosmic and Community Perspective for Our Earthly Home

Born in Boulder in 2021, Explorando Senderos emerged from a vital need: to dismantle the barriers preventing our Latinx community from fully accessing and feeling welcome in local open spaces.

We envision a future where belonging is inherent, and all our programs are proudly led by the Senderistas themselves! These dedicated community members bring their unique backgrounds, expertise, and knowledge to every experience. From earthly trails to the Cosmos, we gain a profound understanding of our vulnerable and only home, deepening our commitment to protect it. Our journey continues as Senderistas lead healing through Art Therapy at Naropa University, cultivate connection with the soil richness at Growing Gardens, and engage in hands-on environmental conversations and action at the Junkyard Social Club.

Driven by this collective expertise and strong partnerships, we co-create truly inclusive experiences. Through these shared journeys, we foster deep inner transformation and a powerful reconnection to Mother Earth, our Universe, and each other, inspiring change for a more accessible and equitable future in Boulder and beyond!

Team

  • Founder

    Marina is the climate equity specialist with Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience (OSCAR), the founder of Colorado Language Access and Cultural Experts (CLACE) and of Explorando Senderos de Boulder. She is a U.N. translator and interpreter with over three decades of experience. Through her consulting firm, CLACE, she supports a diverse clientele encompassing government, academic, nonprofit, and private organizations to further the goals of language access, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, intercultural program development, cross-cultural communication, strategic planning, translation, and interpretation.

    Marina is a plant-powered trail runner, a steward of Madre Tierra, and passionate about science, environmental preservation, sustainability, travel, health, and the outdoors. Originally from Venezuela, Marina has spent the last couple of years generating momentum towards the Explorando Senderos movement and guiding most Senderos. She is passionate about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusiveness, and is a serious zero waste and vegan activist. With all of these experiences, she seeks meaningful connections with others, loves to learn about new cultures, and considers herself a lifelong learner. With a big heart for trail running and exploring wild places, she’s always stoked to get out there!

    Marina initiated Explorando Senderos de Boulder in late 2020, amid the COVID crisis, as a way to positively impact Latinx community members who were struggling both physically and mentally during the pandemic.

    In addition, Marina is a board member for the Boulder Public Library Foundation and the Junkyard Social Club. She has also been a Victim’s Advocate for Boulder Police Department since 2000. She lives in Boulder, CO, close to her two kids and five grandchildren.

  • Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator

Partners