Class
Article
College
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department
Languages, Philosophy and Communication Studies Department
Faculty Mentor
Crescencio Lopez Gonzalez
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Outdoor recreation is an emerging part of mental health research and has become vital to many individual's discovery of self and belonging. Research finds improvements in mood, cognition, and behavior associated with nature based recreation.
Latinx individuals make up more than 18% of the current U.S. population but are expected to grow to more than 28% by 2050. Only 11% of Latinx individuals participate in outdoor recreation activities.
Latinx people have experienced barriers to accessing outdoor recreation. These barriers take the form of distance, finances, discrimination, free time, and knowledge. Some experience fear of outdoor recreation areas due to fear of victimization and violence experienced in neighborhood parks and recreation areas.
Those Latinx individuals recreating outdoors chose to participate mainly in large groups in single-day activities such as picnics or walks. These large groups most often take the form of family and friend gatherings. Recent research shows that aforementioned barriers are diminishing.
The rising Latinx generation has begun combining cultural values and ideals of large social gatherings with more diverse outdoor activities. They have increased participation in complex multi-day activities such as hiking, camping, backpacking, and boating.
Although many still feel like outliers in outdoor recreation, some groups are thriving in the outdoors while maintaining their cultural roots. These groups, such as Latino Outdoors and professional athletes like Dani Reyes Acosta, are advocating for fellow Latinx individuals to take advantage of outdoor recreational opportunities and benefits.
Although not every person may want to engage in outdoor recreational activities, every person deserves the right to access and choose to participate.
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
4-10-2024 2:30 PM
End Date
4-10-2024 3:20 PM
Included in
Analyzing Latinx Outdoor Participation in the U.S.
Logan, UT
Outdoor recreation is an emerging part of mental health research and has become vital to many individual's discovery of self and belonging. Research finds improvements in mood, cognition, and behavior associated with nature based recreation.
Latinx individuals make up more than 18% of the current U.S. population but are expected to grow to more than 28% by 2050. Only 11% of Latinx individuals participate in outdoor recreation activities.
Latinx people have experienced barriers to accessing outdoor recreation. These barriers take the form of distance, finances, discrimination, free time, and knowledge. Some experience fear of outdoor recreation areas due to fear of victimization and violence experienced in neighborhood parks and recreation areas.
Those Latinx individuals recreating outdoors chose to participate mainly in large groups in single-day activities such as picnics or walks. These large groups most often take the form of family and friend gatherings. Recent research shows that aforementioned barriers are diminishing.
The rising Latinx generation has begun combining cultural values and ideals of large social gatherings with more diverse outdoor activities. They have increased participation in complex multi-day activities such as hiking, camping, backpacking, and boating.
Although many still feel like outliers in outdoor recreation, some groups are thriving in the outdoors while maintaining their cultural roots. These groups, such as Latino Outdoors and professional athletes like Dani Reyes Acosta, are advocating for fellow Latinx individuals to take advantage of outdoor recreational opportunities and benefits.
Although not every person may want to engage in outdoor recreational activities, every person deserves the right to access and choose to participate.