Seeing Ourselves in the Outdoors - New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division

Seeing Ourselves in the Outdoors

A man riding an adaptive mountain bike in the Sandia foothills at sunset
KC Henthorn is an avid adaptive mountain biker and has assisted Global Opportunities Unlimited with trail accessibility assessments. Photo by: Ben Minegar

Expanding equitable access to the outdoors requires ensuring every New Mexican can see themselves reflected in outdoor recreation spaces and know they belong there. State investments in trails, infrastructure and outdoor youth programs is just part of the equation.

A woman using a prosthetic leg smiles as she hikes a flat desert trail
Julie Jordan hikes at Santa Fe Conservation Trust’s newly completed accessible Dovetail Trail in the Galisteo Basin. Photo by Gregg Flores

This spring, the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division took a hard look at its photo and video libraries and identified a gap: limited representation of people with disabilities participating in outdoor recreation.

To address this gap, ORD partnered with local photographers, Ben Minegar and Gregg Flores, and community members to create a library of photos and videos that feature adaptive recreation participants exploring and enjoying New Mexico’s great outdoors.

A teenage boy riding a three-wheeled bike gives his parents both a high five
Tharan Griego and his parents explore Santa Fe Conservation Trust’s new accessible Dovetail Trail. Photo by: Gregg Flores

Representation can change what people believe is possible. Seeing someone that looks like you fishing or riding a bike or running on a trail with a familiar backdrop sends a powerful message: You belong here.

For Monique Dominguez, originally from Grants, NM, participating in this project was about helping others recognize possibilities she once struggled to imagine for herself.

woman riding an adaptive mountain bike smiling
Monique Dominguez loves staying active with mountain biking, basketball and powerlifting. Photo by: Ben Minegar
A man fishing and smiling in a wheelchair with a firefly attachment to help him get around on unpaved surfaces
Dustin Berg is the founder, CEO and director of Global Opportunities Unlimited, a nonprofit working to improve accessible access to New Mexico’s outdoors. Photo by: Ben Minegar

“Seeing myself represented in the outdoors means a lot, and I never thought it would be possible honestly,” said Dominguez. “It didn’t take much to influence me to participate since I enjoy being outdoors and active. The big plus was knowing I would be helping people who want to make a difference for others.”

Action shot of an adaptive mountain bike on a dirt trail
Global Opportunities Unlimited provides people with compromised mobility gear and support to get outdoors. Photo by: Ben Minegar

Dominguez has participated in and volunteered for programs run by Global Opportunities Unlimited, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit and ORD grant recipient that helps people with compromised mobility participate in outdoor adaptive sports and recreation activities.

“I love helping others,” she said. “It’s an incredible feeling to see the joy on people’s faces when they try something they didn’t think was possible for the first time.”

A woman standing on a desert trail wearing a running blade and smiling as she looks into the distance
Dr. Danielle Cummings in an emergency medicine resident at UNM and Team USA Para Triathlete. Photo by: Ben Minegar
Silhouette of a woman standing wearing a running blade on one leg at sunset in the desert
Dr. Cummings uses a running blade. Photo by Ben Minegar

ORD has invested more than $50 million through the Trails+ Grant and Outdoor Equity Fund programs to expand access to the outdoors through community-led infrastructure projects and youth outdoor programs across New Mexico. These investments are creating opportunities for people to connect with the outdoors, discover new possibilities and feel invited to participate in outdoor recreation.

Woman riding a bike on an accessible trail using a prosthetic leg and smiling
Julie Jordan loves getting out for bike rides and trail runs. Photo by Gregg Flores

“Building accessible outdoor spaces is an important first step, but belonging comes from feeling welcomed and seeing yourself represented,” said ORD Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Michelle Simon. “By investing in accessible recreation and intentionally including adaptive recreation participants in our marketing materials and storytelling, we’re working to ensure more New Mexicans see themselves represented in the outdoors.”

For those curious about trying an adaptive outdoor sports, Dominguez encourages, “Take that leap, don’t hesitate. You will not regret it! I promise it’ll get you itching to get out more.”

Photography by: Ben Minegar and Gregg Flores
To view more stories, photos and videos from this project, follow ORD on social media at @nmoutdoorec.
Learn how Global Opportunities Unlimited is using funding from ORD to expand access to adaptive outdoor recreation in New Mexico, check out their success story here.