I’m just your average 26 year old Latina who hails from the San Gabriel Valley. My papis are both from Jalisco, Mexico but coincidentally met in the United States. They fell in love 30 years ago and raised 4 beautiful babies, and so here I am.

I graduated from California State University, Chico in 2014 with a degree in bilingual Liberal Studies, which prepared me for a career as a bilingual elementary school teacher. I’ve since held some amazing teaching positions that have allowed me to live all throughout Northern California, Ecuador, and Mexico, where I’ve met and interacted with so many inspirational humans.

Over the last two years I’ve made the transition into Outdoor Education. My parents have always encouraged a love for the outdoors, but it wasn’t until I moved to NorCal that I really fell in love with outdoor life. Backpacking through Lake Tahoe, going on weekend hikes at Bidwell Park, and swimming in the Sacramento River are just some of the many activities that fueled my appreciation and love for Mother Earth. So when I was given the opportunity to combine my two loves: teaching and being outside, there was no way I was going to turn it away.

Being a leader with ARCC Programs has allowed me to travel the world, teach, and have my classroom be outdoors. I lead groups of students on 3 month Gap Semesters. We, my co-leader and I, teach communication, leadership, and travel skills. We also facilitate discussions which touch on different themes, like environmental conservation, public health, education, and micro-finance, as well as country-specific social and political issues. We use the many places we visit as unconventional classrooms in hopes that students grow as more tolerant, appreciative and kind people.

This also has allowed me to share my life experiences, not only as a woman in the workforce but as a woman of color in the outdoor community. Throughout my trips I’ve had dozens of meaningful conversations with my students, especially the young ladies, about what it’s like to be an adventurer and the benefits that come with becoming an educated and strong-willed woman.

We talk about how it can be tough to be heard in a space dominated by male voices and the way society views us as weak or less than. We also talk about what it’s like to be a person who has an impact on others and how to use that platform to empower others.

I’ve been able to see that I have an impact on my students in many different ways, but it’s the small, subtle changes that make my heart the happiest—when a young woman speaks her mind in a group of young men without fear, when they carry their packs up mountains without seeking help from others, or gathering up the courage to perform a hidden talent in front of a crowded room. I can’t and won’t take all the credit because let’s be honest, they’ve always been strong, beautiful, courageous women, I just help them realize it’s been there all along, and that they should never shy away from their greatness.

I can feel a bit isolated, out of place, and sometimes even incompetent as a woman of color in the outdoor industry, but I’ve taken those insecurities and run with them, constantly trying new sports and activities. Never in my life did I think I’d be white water rafting in Patagonia, hiking the ancient Inca trail in Peru, sliding down volcán Acatenango in Guatemala, or scuba diving the Caribbean reefs of Honduras.

I’ve learned that exploring unfamiliar territories, especially as a Latina, comes with fears and many unknowns, but it’s also exhilarating and life changing. I’m able to show my students, sisters, cousins, and friends that we can do anything. Despite the countless times I’ve been told, “No puedes hacer eso porque eso solo lo hacen los hombres,” this has only made me want to do it even more.

While I’m an excellent teacher, powerhouse leader and role model to my students, I don’t think I’m a picture perfect example or some idol that people should look up to, in fact I’m very much an imperfect being. I constantly look to my students and peers to inspire self growth and perspective on life because I’m still trying to figure out how to be a healthy, happy, and strong person. But I do know that by just following my love for being outside and doing things that bring me joy, my niñas can see that anything they want to do is possible despite the color of their skin, where they or their family come from, hardships they’ve faced, or any negative stereotypes that might be associated with them.

Being outdoors has allowed me to find balance within myself. I’ve learned to love my body and be thankful for all that it can do and where it can take me. I’ve learned to find peace in places that are so much greater than I will ever be and to slow down, smell and appreciate the beauty that is the wilderness.

If you’ve been thinking about being more “outdoorsy”, just go and do it. Push yourself a little out of your comfort zone. Who cares if you don’t have name brand gear? I literally hiked throughout South America in $15 shoes and $8 Costco pants. Someone once told me “The gear doesn’t make the athlete. It’s the person in the gear who determines who they will be.” So give it a try! Who knows, you might end up getting paid to hang out with really cool humans while you venture throughout South America.

The original version of this article was published on the Latino Outdoors website, with the title ‘Just your Average Latina’.