December 2022 | eNewsletter

Dear Friends,

As we prepare to leave 2022 behind and look forward to a new year of growth and adventure, I feel immense pride in the power of our community and love for the wonderful people driving YES’s work and vision forward into our 24th year. 

One of those most responsible for our continued drive and growth is YES’s Director of Programs and Partnerships, Blanca Hernández. In recognition of her remarkable contributions to public understanding and awareness of the environment, conservation, and natural history, Blanca was named Environmental Educator of the Year by Bay Nature Magazine. Read on for insights into Blanca’s inspiration and remarkable distinction. 

Also worthy of recognition is the incredible corps of volunteers who have donated over 1,000 hours to YES’s work since the start of 2022. We had the pleasure of celebrating their impressive generosity earlier this month at the revival of our Volunteer Appreciation event, where guests reconnected with friends, won prizes donated by our friends at Mountain Hardwear, The Factory Bar, and East Brother Beer Company, and were celebrated for their contributions to YES.

You can learn more about the work we’ve done in our just-released 2021-22 Annual Report. The report summarizes all the ways that YOU have helped YES provide leadership development and supported, healing experiences in nature to hundreds of Richmond youth and families, and gives a glimpse at all we’re eager to carry out in the coming months.

None of this work would be possible without the steadfast support of YES’s generous and devoted community of donors. Just a couple of weeks ago, nearly 100 supporters raised over $32,000 for Giving Tuesday, and even more have contributed since then, putting YES 70% of the way to our $90,000 goal for the Year-End campaign. 

We’re endlessly thankful for the generosity of those who have given to this campaign in support of the work you’ll read about below–thank you. If you haven’t already done so, I hope the joy and connection shown here inspires you to help us get the rest of the way to our goal by making a gift before December 31st.



In community,

Blanca credits her parents for her deep love and respect of the natural world. Some of her most treasured childhood memories are that of observing a Cactus Wren atop a hill with her father, and her mother encouraging her to examine the movement of a snail sliding across their patio in the Mexican high desert. Blanca has devoted her career to pursuing the feeling of wonder and peace she discovered through these early experiences in nature and sharing it with others.

Before joining YES, Blanca worked in Richmond schools, where her own lived experience as an immigrant and a woman of color allowed her to connect to the youth and families in their struggle to obtain an equitable education. During this time, she continued to turn to the outdoors to destress and regenerate, “I would connect with nature by going camping with my friends and that was my healing. That's how I would recharge my battery.” During one of those camping trips, Blanca thought of the youth and families she worked with, and how much they could benefit from experiencing nature’s regenerative effects. With that inspiration in mind, she set out to find a career where she could work toward creating equitable access to the outdoors.

“I loved YES from the start because of the level of love and awareness they had in centering the community in this work.”

“I found YES and luckily, they were hiring!” Blanca recalls her introduction to the YES team conducting her interview for the Program Associate role–including founder Diane Mintz, and newly-instated Executive Director Eric Aaholm; “I walked into the room, shook their hands, and said, ‘hello, I've been looking for you.’” Her bold introduction and her commitment and connection to Richmond families made Blanca the perfect fit for YES.

“I think from the beginning I knew this was the place where I could grow my leadership and be nurtured, where I could spread my wings and where I could really contribute to something beautiful,” she says. When talking about what it is that’s beautiful about YES, and what makes her work meaningful, Blanca emphasizes the centrality of a trusting, intentional relationship with the community. And her work in this regard is evident–ask anyone with YES, and it is clear that Blanca’s love for our community is not only reciprocated, but guides all who are lucky to be mentored by her.

“I love what I do! One of the things that my parents said to me was, ‘no matter what you do in life, do your best.’ So I take that messaging in, in everything that I do, and I encourage everybody that comes through YES to grow their leadership skills, and grow their own legacy within the organization.”

As Director of Programs and Partnerships, Blanca brings an unrivaled sense of purpose, passion, and intentionality to our work that has helped define the organization in the 14 years she's been with YES. Witnessing the value she brings to the community and the outdoor field firsthand, it’s no question what makes Blanca the Environmental Educator of the Year.

Over the last 23 years, YES has evolved alongside the needs and desires of our community. Our work has grown beyond summer experiences and now, thanks to our supporters and partners, YES provides youth and adults alike with support and training year-round to be community leaders and change-makers. As we’ve grown, one thing has remained constant: our belief in the power of nature to inspire, teach, and restore. That’s why supported experiences in nature continue to be at the heart of YES’s leadership development work for all age groups.

The past year has been marked by significant growth in our programming and capacity; so much that YES is now poised to support over 600 participants each year with multiple activities in the outdoors and local community. We’re looking forward to expanding our breadth of outdoor adventures with trips to national and state parks, white water rafting and outdoor rock climbing, and even more overnight and multi-day excursions. For our youngest members, we’ve added a new, science-based afterschool program. With this, our Youth Leadership Pathway is now providing educational opportunities year-round for young people ages eight and up [...] Read More.

Spend time with YES and you’ll quickly realize that Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline is one of our favorite local spots. From camp days and nature day outings, to backpacking and fishing trips, the park’s rocky shoreline, panoramic hilltop views, and abundant open space make it the perfect host for just about any and every kind of outing we can think of. But it wasn’t always this way.

The home to Ferry Point, once the final destination of Santa Fe Railroad’s continental line and an active ferry port until 1975, it took decades of community advocacy to protect Miller/Knox from development. The growing Richmond community, recognizing the importance of having a natural refuge in a city surrounded by industry, saved the shoreline and adjacent spaces through incremental and hard-fought victories throughout the latter half of the 20th century.

Thanks to this vision and effort, Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline exists today to offer an expansive array of recreation opportunities and wildlife habitats. Visit in the summer and take advantage of the swimming at Keller Beach, or make your way through the tunnel now to witness the landscape change with the wet weather. Regardless of when you visit or how you spend your time, we’re sure you’ll find something to love at Miller/Knox.

The California Field Atlas by Obi Kauffman

The Last Cup / La última copa by NPR

The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart by Alicia Garza