Alfredo Gonzales Velez may be just 24 years old, but he’s quickly making his mark on the world of environmental stewardship. He’s doing what he can to encourage people, specifically members of the LatinX community, to have access to and take advantage of natural spaces for recreation and mental health.
In 2020, Navajo adventurer and guide Louis Williams created Ancient Wayves River and Hiking Adventures. The outfitter isn’t just any guiding company, however—it’s the first of its kind to be based in the Navajo Nation and Indigenous owned.
Trails around this popular resort town in Wyoming have seen skyrocketing use in recent years. Extraordinary efforts by the National Forest land managers, combined with local nonprofit campaigns for responsible trail-use have kept impending disaster at bay.