Our Story
PUENTES was born out of our founder’s participation in a nature immersion program in 2013 that deepened their connection to the natural world and themself. They pursued more alike experiences and never quite felt like they belonged. Being outdoors was both deeply liberating and socially uncomfortable. Through conversations with loved ones, they were able to name that whiteness, power, and privilege are prevalent in every space, even when distanced from “society.”
Antonella wanted to cultivate a space where she and folx with similar experiences could feel a sense of belonging and relative safety to co-create an affirming outdoor community rooted in fun and love. With a lot of help from mentors, community members, and peers, they created PUENTES to combine connection with the natural world and the centering of BIPOC identities and communities.
PUENTES programs attempt to decrease some of the many barriers that prevent folx from engaging with the natural world while creating a space for joy, growth, and exploration.
Our Founder
Antonella (they/she) is a nature-lover with a passion for intergenerational experiential learning. They founded PUENTES in 2022.
They are a Queer Latine who benefits from white privilege, born on Quechua and Wari land (Lima, Peru). Antonella nurtures their soul through music, dunking in fresh water, sleeping under stars, identifying birds by sound, and spending time with loved ones.
She works as a therapist most days and as a facilitator of natural history, experiential science, sensory awareness, and relationship building with the living earth the rest of the days.
