Ever wondered how you can do more for public lands but you aren’t sure where to start? Outdoor Alliance’s Outdoor Allies series explores how other outdoor adventurers got their start in advocacy work and their advice for how you can harness your passion for the outdoors into advocacy for the land and water you love. Gabe Vasquez is Congressman-elect for New Mexico’s 2nd district. Formerly, he served as a city councilor in Las Cruces, New Mexico, home to the Organ Mountain Desert Peaks National Monument, and was the strategy and partnerships director for HECHO, a Hispanic-led conservation organization. Vasquez has more than a decade of experience working on public policy and advocacy, including working for U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. Vasquez is an avid hunter, angler, hiker, and has dedicated much of his professional career to social justice and creating outdoor equity.

First, the entire Outdoor Alliance team is thrilled that you were recently elected to Congress to represent New Mexico’s 2nd district. You had previously served as City Councilor—what made you decide to run for the House seat?

Just like my passion for conservation, for me it was about stepping up to leave behind a better world and country for future generations. We are facing what seem like insurmountable odds in the current climate crisis, we continue to see a massively growing wealth gap in this country, and we need leaders in the halls of Congress who have nothing to lose that will take action today to leave behind a better tomorrow. I've often felt that I don't have a seat at the table, and by running for the U.S. House, I made it my responsibility to create a seat - not for me, but for all of us.

Tell us about what you like to do outside.

I’m an avid angler, hunter, and hiker and I just recently started gravel riding. My most memorable experiences on public lands have come from fishing and hunting, experiences that have left a lasting impact on me and continue to teach me about the relationship between land, wildlife, and the human role and impact. New Mexico is home to many landscapes and biological communities, each special and necessary in its own way. From the high, dry deserts to the upland forested watersheds and towering canyons of volcanic basalt flows, New Mexico offers amazingly diverse experiences for outdoor recreation.

What are the biggest recreation and conservation priorities you’d like to work on over the next two years?

I look forward to identifying opportunities to conserve more of our nation’s lands and water, in particular, here in my district. Designating the Gila River and its tributaries as Wild and Scenic would be a great start. In a divided Congress, it’s tough to get public lands legislation passed, but there are many other opportunities that I look forward to working on and supporting. When it comes to recreation, I look forward to the introduction of the Outdoor FUTURE Act and supporting it alongside my former boss, Sen. Martin Heinrich.

What do you think Congress has done especially well on conservation in the last few years?

We have seen historic conservation legislation get through Congress in the last several years, including the Great American Outdoors Act, the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, the MapLAND Act, and in the House, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act and the ACE Act. But, we’ve still got a lot of work to do, and I look forward to championing more conservation legislation during my tenure in Congress.

During your time at Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, you helped launch an Outdoor Equity Fund that eventually became the seed of the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. initiative. What environmental justice initiatives do you most want to see move forward during this Congress?

The Outdoor FUTURE Act is at the top of the list, but environmental justice spans a range much wider than just outdoor recreation. When we think about access, we also have to think about addressing inequities related to pollution, fossil-fuel extraction, and socioeconomic inequities. Communities who suffer the impacts of industrial pollution and climate change must take priority, and we must hold polluters accountable while also tackling the very challenging impacts that climate change is having on our communities.

Lightning round:

A book you’d recommend: Book: The Only Good Indians

Favorite close-to-home place to get outside: Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument

Committee you’d like to serve on: Agriculture, Armed Services, Energy & Commerce

Outdoor Allies: Congressman-elect Gabe Vasquez