Providing Safe Resources for Families
by Betsy Rosales Avalos
This fall, in partnership with Latino Outdoors and Barrio Logan College Institute, Outdoor Outreach hosted a series of multi-generational fishing and kayaking programs for Latino/Hispanic families in San Diego. The restrictions on gathering that we’ve faced due to the pandemic have proven how crucial it was for us to provide programming that engages whole, multi-generational family units in healthy, fun, and transformative experiences in the outdoors. That’s why the Vamos a Pescar program was such a success!
I saw a kid catch his first fish on one of these outings and it was undeniably one of my favorite moments of 2020. It was his first time fishing and only had the line in the water for a few minutes. I recognized the bewilderment in his eyes and the “woah” that escaped from behind the kids’ masks when they saw a creature emerge from the ocean. It was the same reaction that I had at 11 years old while fishing with my grandpa.
As everyone got a chance to see the fish, kids shouted out some of its key characteristics and were able to successfully identify it as a sand bass with the help of parents, instructors, and the fishing guide in their tackle boxes. In between waiting for the fish to bite, we identified birds like double-crested cormorants and brown pelicans. After the rush of the first fish, they kept asking, “When are the fish coming?”
Kids and parents alike jumped at the challenge to learn how to tie knots, hook on slimy, smelly bait, and use the reel properly. The kids were excited to swing their bait into the water while others were elated at the challenge of casting, almost as a rite of passage. I watched as a 10-year old schooled someone at least 5 years older than him with his pro casting skills. One parent told me about the many times he had gone fishing with his father and was now excited to finally share that experience with his son.
Although I didn’t get to see any unmasked smiles, I saw more than enough wrinkles and eye creases to let me know we all needed this.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outdoor Outreach is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects youth to the transformative power of the outdoors. Through our programs, we’re helping youth build resilience in the face of challenges, and confidence in their power to make a difference.