ABOUT THE EXPERT:

Born and raised on the Central coast of California, Maritza was raised in the small town of Grover Beach. Maritza is third generation Mexican American. Growing up, Maritza didn’t have the opportunity to experience hiking until she was in her 20s due to the lack of outdoor advocacy geared toward minorities. After returning home from college in Oregon, Maritza met a few friends from back home who invited her on a backpacking trip to Yosemite National Park. She climbed Half Dome for her first summit experience. Her love for the outdoors grew from there. Maritza has backpacked twenty-three national parks and counting. While traveling to these parks Maritza has seen the potential of how humans can ruin these environments unknowingly which led to her becoming a firm advocate for the Leave No Trace Act.

Today she lives in Portland, Oregon and is an advocate and supporter of the progressive movement for people of color. Maritza assisted the Oregon District 3 campaign with ideas for affordable housing and homeless crisis. Her main focus as a Latino Outdoors leader is to provide underprivileged youth and BIPOC access to the freedom that the outdoors brings. She hopes to accomplish this while advocating for the conservation of the natural world.

CONTACT:

Contact Maritza Oropeza Kritz at Experts@diversegreen.org.