The Power of Connection
- Andrea Ortega
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
Written by: Dr. Andrea Ortega & Camila Giraldo
Rosa Malagón, a licensed clinical social worker, community navigator at Hispanic Access
Foundation, folkloric dancer with Mexico Danza Orlando, and founder of Nuestra Cultura
Outdoors, gave us insight into connecting within a community and nature. Together with Dr.
Andrea Ortega, they opened an important discourse on how mental health, community care,
culture, and access to nature could and should intersect.
Rosa’s Background and Work
Rosa is a first-generation Latina and therefore had initial pressure to become a lawyer or doctor,
but instead chose to serve her community through social work. She worked at Catholic Charities
for about 8 years and later worked as a bilingual school social worker. Now she serves as a
community navigator at Hispanic Access Foundation, which focuses on capacity building for
nonprofits, providing tools, training, and resources in English and Spanish, and supporting
collaboration across organizations nationwide. She shares in the past how she experienced
burnout in the mental health field and how common it is in helping professions, but that there
are some prevention strategies. Some include grounding practices such as spending time in
nature and reflecting, setting boundaries, resting, and being accountable. She highlighted that
the most important first step was recognizing the signs of burnout and that ultimately, one
cannot serve a community from a place of exhaustion.
“Burnout doesn’t happen overnight—and healing shouldn’t either.” – Rosa Malagón
Nuestra Cultura Outdoors
What started as a personal initiative has grown into a structured program. The purpose was to
create accessible, safe outdoor spaces for underrepresented communities and address the lack
of representation in outdoor environments. She emphasized creating a space where there are
no expectations, just being.
“The outdoors is not about disconnecting—it’s about grounding.” – Rosa Malagón
“Our community deserves to feel safe and represented in nature.” – Rosa Malagón
There is an interconnection between mental health practices and outdoor experiences. Some of
these activities include yoga, sound therapy, journaling, meditation, and affirmation cards. The
goal is to introduce alternative healing modalities to communities where mental health is often
stigmatized.
Community Care Philosophy
Community care has to be intentional, inclusive, and responsive. The key aspects include never
assuming the community's needs; instead, listen to the community and make resources
accessible in ways that respect language, culture, and logistics. Some examples could include
providing bilingual resources, designing hikes that are stroller-, wheelchair-, and family-friendly,
and finally sharing practical information such as bathroom availability.
Ways to Take Care of Yourself
Journaling:
There is no right way to journal, which is why it can be used in nature and outdoors as well.
Some methods to use outdoors include short reflections or brain dumps of all the thoughts one
has while walking. Also, a person could use prompts or affirmation cards to create a similar
process. There should be a focus on self-awareness and emotional processing.
Finding a Community:
Communities provide necessary support, joining a group such as Nuestra Cultura Outdoors
could be very beneficial to maintaining good mental health. Nuestra Cultura Outdoors connects
people of color to nature and to a larger community.
About Hispanic Access Foundation
Connects Latinos and others with partners and opportunities to improve lives and create an
equitable society. Focused on creating programs for Latinos to be involved in conservation,
finance, STEM, and health fields, and prioritizing advocacy weeks.
About Nuestra Cultura Outdoors
Empower Black, Indigenous, People Of Color to reconnect to nature by creating safe spaces to
explore the outdoors, connect to community, and experience wellness in nature. Located in
Central Florida and founded by Rosa to ensure representation of her BIPOC community in
outdoor activities.
About Mexico Danza Orlando
A vibrant cultural dance group dedicated to celebrating the rich traditions and heritage of
México through the art of folkloric dance. Founded by Yessica Lizárraga with the mission to
promote and preserve Mexican culture among new generations.
About the Palante Nonprofits Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Andrea Ortega, this podcast aims to bridge the gap between white-led
philanthropy and Hispanic-led nonprofits, while amplifying voices and sharing the tools
nonprofits need to thrive.
To read the Spanish version, click here.
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