From March 21-24, 2024, I, my partner Nate, and a beloved crew, Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) Bay Area, will be joining cyclists at Ruta del Jefe to gather on the unceded ancestral lands of the ÓPATA and N'DEE/N'NEE/NDÉ, in Mexico, for a transformative weekend of cycling, adventure, education and advocacy centered on the biodiversity and culture of the US-Mexico borderlands.

Cycling reminds me that our liberation as people must include the decolonization and stewardship of the lands that we ride on. So as part of this trip, I am helping to raise money for organizations that are actively restoring the beauty and biodiversity of the U.S-Mexico borderlands, conserving the heritage of their native peoples, and supporting migrants and refugees at the U.S. border wall and throughout Mexico. 

Please consider donating to this fundraiser, Nate's or the RAR Bay Area team's page (linked above)! Any amount contributed is greatly appreciated in helping me and my team/s fundraising goals. We are commited to dedicate as much resources as we can from our communities to fighting for our siblings, human & non-human in the borderlands.

The total amount raised will be equally distributed amongst the following organizations: 

• Cuenca Los Ojos, meaning “Watershed of the Springs”, is a 121,000-acre (49,000-ha) protected area in the Sky Islands of Sonora, Mexico. Located directly along the United States-Mexico border, CLO stewards the unique desert wetlands, open grasslands, and soaring mountains of the Madrean Archipelago. They are restoring and rewilding these once-degraded ranch lands by repairing waterways and reviving the natural processes of herbivory, predation, pollination, fire, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling. Today, CLO is home again to jaguars, ocelots, black bears, beavers, and other threatened and endangered species.
• Nacion N'dee/N'nee/Ndé: The N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation is a group of people with their own ethnic identity, customs, traditions, language, beliefs, and religion, and that like every living society, has adapted to the context of their time and space. Those of who form the N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation live in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila de Zaragoza under organized communities, which have representatives named “nant’an”. In each community and in an organized way, the N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation fights to be included in the list of the nation’s indigenous peoples, which has been achieved so far in Sonora and Coahuila de Zaragoza; their nation is constantly working to revive their language, dressing, traditions, ceremonies, songs, and dances, that were lost as a consequence of the persecution that their ethnic group faced in the n'dee bikeyaa/n'nee bikiyaa/ndé miikeyaa, which is the southern portion of our territory and that nowadays is the north of Mexico.
• Por La Defensa el Rio de Casas Grande: a collective of activists fighting against the construction of a dam in the Casas Grandes River, which feeds a big part of agricultural and natural land in northwestern Chihuahua, near where Cuenca Los Ojos is located. It’s formed by citizens who are concerned about the way this project has been approved and promoted, and the effects the dam would have on the natural environment and human settlements.
• Frontera de Cristo seeks to build relationships that demonstrate God’s will and build bridges rather than walls. So many people are migrating, seeking refuge, and fleeing extreme poverty and violence. Frontera de Cristo’s goal is to address their immediate needs and the root causes of mass migration, creating safe and prosperous opportunities that allow people to stay in the land they call home if they so choose. Through the building of community-driven partnerships with ministries and secular organizations in Douglas and Agua Prieta, Frontera de Cristo offers shelter, resources, education, emotional support, medical care, and new solutions.
• Borderlands Restoration Network: BRN's mission is to partner to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for plants and wildlife, and reconnecting our border communities to the land through shared learning. We envision connected borderlands where rivers flow, plants, wildlife, and cultures thrive, and communities develop an inclusive restorative economy where a sense of place inspires a sense of purpose.

Ruta del Jefe is not just an adventure bicycle ride. 

Instead, the event seeks to raise awareness around the beauty and biodiversity of the U.S-Mexico borderlands, their native peoples, and the border wall's impact on animal and human migration. Ruta del Jefe does this by hosting representatives to speak on behalf of the work of the following organizations: Cuenca Los Ojos, N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation, Por La Defensa el Rio de Casas Grande, Frontera de Cristo, Borderlands Restoration Network. The presentations occur the night before the ride to give participants a greater context for the land they will be riding through the following day. 

In addition to the community fundraiser, participants of Ruta del Jefe will be taking The Outdoorist Oath. The Oath is a ZERO-BS experience that teaches a model to approach allyship for the planet, inclusion, and adventure. During the workshop, participants will reflect and learn tools to create a unique plan to take action for Planet, Inclusion, and Adventure.

The Ruta del Jefe Community Fundraiser will benefit the following organizations. 

• Cuenca Los Ojos, meaning “Watershed of the Springs”, is a 121,000-acre (49,000-ha) protected area in the Sky Islands of Sonora, Mexico. Located directly along the United States-Mexico border, CLO stewards the unique desert wetlands, open grasslands, and soaring mountains of the Madrean Archipelago. They are restoring and rewilding these once-degraded ranch lands by repairing waterways and reviving the natural processes of herbivory, predation, pollination, fire, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling. Today, CLO is home again to jaguars, ocelots, black bears, beavers, and other threatened and endangered species.
• Nacion N'dee/N'nee/Ndé: The N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation is a group of people with their own ethnic identity, customs, traditions, language, beliefs, and religion, and that like every living society, has adapted to the context of their time and space. Those of who form the N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation live in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila de Zaragoza under organized communities, which have representatives named “nant’an”. In each community and in an organized way, the N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation fights to be included in the list of the nation’s indigenous peoples, which has been achieved so far in Sonora and Coahuila de Zaragoza; their nation is constantly working to revive their language, dressing, traditions, ceremonies, songs, and dances, that were lost as a consequence of the persecution that their ethnic group faced in the n'dee bikeyaa/n'nee bikiyaa/ndé miikeyaa, which is the southern portion of our territory and that nowadays is the north of Mexico.
• Por La Defensa el Rio de Casas Grande: a collective of activists fighting against the construction of a dam in the Casas Grandes River, which feeds a big part of agricultural and natural land in northwestern Chihuahua, near where Cuenca Los Ojos is located. It’s formed by citizens who are concerned about the way this project has been approved and promoted, and the effects the dam would have on the natural environment and human settlements.
• Frontera de Cristo seeks to build relationships that demonstrate God’s will and build bridges rather than walls. So many people are migrating, seeking refuge, and fleeing extreme poverty and violence. Frontera de Cristo’s goal is to address their immediate needs and the root causes of mass migration, creating safe and prosperous opportunities that allow people to stay in the land they call home if they so choose. Through the building of community-driven partnerships with ministries and secular organizations in Douglas and Agua Prieta, Frontera de Cristo offers shelter, resources, education, emotional support, medical care, and new solutions.
• Borderlands Restoration Network: BRN's mission is to partner to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for plants and wildlife, and reconnecting our border communities to the land through shared learning. We envision connected borderlands where rivers flow, plants, wildlife, and cultures thrive, and communities develop an inclusive restorative economy where a sense of place inspires a sense of purpose.

Ruta del Jefe seeks to raise awareness around the beauty and biodiversity of the borderlands, their native peoples, and the border wall's impact on animal and human migration.

The Ruta del Jefe Community Fundraiser will benefit the following organizations. 

Cuenca Los Ojos 

Cuenca Los Ojos, meaning “Watershed of the Springs”, is a 121,000-acre (49,000-ha) protected area in the Sky Islands of Sonora, Mexico. Located directly along the United States-Mexico border, CLO stewards the unique desert wetlands, open grasslands, and soaring mountains of the Madrean Archipelago. They are restoring and rewilding these once-degraded ranch lands by repairing waterways and reviving the natural processes of herbivory, predation, pollination, fire, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling. Today, CLO is home again to jaguars, ocelots, black bears, beavers, and other threatened and endangered species.

N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation

The N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation are a group of people with their own ethnic identity, customs, traditions, language, beliefs and religion, and that like every living society, has adapted to the context of their time and space. Those of whom form the N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation live in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua and Coahuila de Zaragoza under organized communities, which have representatives named “nant’an”. In each community and in an organized way, the N'dee/N'nee/Ndé Nation fights for being included in the list of the nation’s indigenous peoples, which has been achieved so far in Sonora and Coahuila de Zaragoza; their nation is constantly working to revive their language, dressing, traditions, ceremonies, songs, and dances, that were lost as a consequence of the persecution that their ethnic group faced in the n'dee bikeyaa/n'nee bikiyaa/ndé miikeyaa, which is the southern portion of our territory and that nowadays is the north of Mexico.

Por La Defensa el Rio de Casas Grande

Por la Densa del Rio Casas Grandes is a collective of activists fighting against the construction of a dam in the Casas Grandes river, which feeds a big part of agricultural and natural land in northwestern Chihuahua, near where Cuenca Los Ojos is located. It’s formed by citizens who are concerned about the way this project has been approved and promoted, and the effects the dam would have on the natural environment and human settlements.

Frontera de Cristo 

Frontera de Cristo seeks to build relationships that demonstrate God’s will and build bridges rather than walls. So many people are migrating, seeking refuge, and fleeing extreme poverty and violence. Frontera de Cristo’s goal is to address their immediate needs and the root causes of mass migration, creating safe and prosperous opportunities that allow people to stay in the land they call home if they so choose. Through the building of community-driven partnerships with ministries and secular organizations in Douglas and Agua Prieta, Frontera de Cristo offers shelter, resources, education, emotional support, medical care, and new solutions.

Borderlands Restoration Network 

Borderlands Restoration Networks' mission is to partner to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for plants and wildlife, and reconnecting our border communities to the land through shared learning. We envision connected borderlands where rivers flow, plants, wildlife, and cultures thrive, and communities develop an inclusive restorative economy where a sense of place inspires a sense of purpose.

• CFJ Admirers donated $400.00 March 18, 2024 ... "Justine is amazing! - CFJ admirers "
• Ellie donated $25.00 November 28, 2023 ... "🫶🏽❤️‍🔥💅🏽🌼🚵🏽‍♀️"