DENVER — The mountains of Colorado sing a song all their own: The rushing water, animal sounds, birds singing. And for many people, the feelings they get outdoors and the sounds that surround them, heal. “I’d rather be doing this than anything else – instead of staring at computer screens,” said Dominic Lucero, while fly fishing in a calm spot on Clear Creek just west of Idaho Springs.
“It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful out here.” Lucero grew up on Denver’s north side and spent a lot of time heading west into the Colorado Rockies with his family.
The outdoors was his favorite place to be. He said he knows not all kids have that option. “My identity is Chicano – it’s an identity of indigenous and Mexican descent,” Lucero said as he watched for fish below the water’s surface.
“ What I think the biggest barrier [to the outdoors] is the mental conditioning for our black and brown people to know they are worthy of these experiences . “It’s super harmful to live in Colorado and see the mountains and not be able to experience it – what that does to your spirit.” His group, Colorado Treks , was born out of Lucero’s desire to see more diversity in outdoor activities.
He wanted Denver-area kids to be able to experience what he called “the medicine of the mountains.” “I want to get people hooked on this thing called the outdoors,” Lucero said. “I want to get them hooked on life, enjoying life by doing stuff like this.
” Credit: Anne Herb.
