An interview with Ronald Zorrilla, founder and CEO of Outdoor Promise, and recipient of the 2023 Spirit of the Hudson Award.

Q: Outdoor Promise's mission to increase access to outdoor recreation for Newburgh's youth is rooted in the certainty that "we cannot ask people to protect a nature they have not experienced." Based on this mission statement, what outdoor experiences as a kid did you have that made a lasting impact? Or are there any childhood memories that stick out and still inspire you today?

A: I was born and raised in Queens, New York, in College Point, and we had some parks there but my first really meaningful outdoor experience was at an away camp. I used to go to an after school program in the New York Hall of Science and they gave me a scholarship to go to DeBruce Camp in the Catskills and it was a week long program. 

I think that since it was my first experience camping, hiking, sailing ponds, shooting a rifle, learning to use a bow and arrow, and experiencing the trout hatchery there it was very impactful for me. After having that week long experience I was hooked on environmentalism and protecting the environment and I started volunteering in a bunch of places, Alley Pond Environmental Center in Queens being the main one, and that's where I got my first job out of high school. I worked there in my early twenties for a while doing trail maintenance and animal care, but I also interned at the Bronx Zoo and Queens Zoo, so it really activated my interest. 

I was in college when I had the idea for Outdoor Promise. I was in an entrepreneurial class and they told us to come up with an idea to start a business that has a social mission, so I thought of creating an organization that essentially gives people that same experience that I had as a kid, with the hope that we could plant the seed of environmental protection through experiences. It happened to me, so I thought it could happen for others as well. So I want to thank the Hall of Science for giving me that scholarship, which was like $300, and also the DEC for having those camps.

Q: A lot of the work that you are involved in seems to center around educating youth and expanding their environmental awareness and literacy with outdoor skills and opportunities. Why are today's youth such an important part of environmental protection? Do you find that adults are still willing to engage in outdoor recreation and conservation efforts on their own in the same way?

A: Well, they say the youth are the future, and I think that people can sometimes criticize the newer generations, but I feel like they just have more access to information. I also think that, similarly to how I was influenced having never thought much about the environment previously, that a lot of kids don't have that chance to get outdoors, for whatever reason. A lot of the time it's a transportation issue, a fear of the outdoors that was passed down for generations, or a lack of access to gear and knowledge, so there are a lot of barriers to getting outdoors. Sometimes it's kids who have working parents. A lot of kids we work with in NYC live just a few blocks from Central Park but have never been because they are being raised by their grandparents and have to go straight home after school, so there are a lot of reasons why kids don't have the access. 

But I think they're important to environmental protection because they're the future, they'll be our future leaders and I think if you start them young, knowing the importance of nature and caring about it, it changes their trajectory and what they focus on as adults. So the hope is to get them activated. In the programs we've done here in Newburgh, in the Environmental Justice Fellowship, a couple of students have even changed their majors to things like environmental health policy and now they're doing research into the water issues here in Newburgh, so it's exciting to see. With younger kids it can be easier to expose them to the outdoors, but it's nice to see that the older ones who are just getting out of high school can become aware that there are possibilities for careers in environmentalism. 

Another thing is that this space can lack diversity, so seeing role models and people that look like you makes a huge difference. Starting kids young, especially those from less privileged areas, so they can see how important this all is and how everything is interconnected is important. 

As for adults, we like to lead through experience, so when we were doing after school programs in NYC we would invite the whole family to get outside for a hike and a BBQ, but I do think it makes a huge difference for parents to have these types of experiences with their kids. A lot of the families we work with are immigrants with their kids being first generation, so it's a nice way for them to relate their memories of being back home with their kids when we get them all outside together. A lot of people have never been on hikes or boats or kayaks, a lot of people haven't been camping. I think all over the world communities are becoming more urbanized, flocking to cities, so less and less people get that opportunity. But I think that if we can provide people with access to the intangible things about nature that are psychological and make you feel good that it switches something inside them, and they start to appreciate nature more and will think about the differences they can make.

Q: What challenges, if any, have you faced coalition building in Newburgh? Have you encountered push back? What's one of your favorite stories of support or investment in Outdoor Promise from a member of the public?

I think that when it comes to coalition building in Newburgh I'm a bit of an outsider. I've been here for 7 years and there can be a social divide in communities between outsiders and insiders. It took a lot of years of volunteering my time on the Downing Park Board, The Greater Newburgh Parks Conservancy Board, the Advisory Board for the water issues and now the CAC to build trust in the community. You can't just show up and think that there's going to be trust just because you have a good brand. It takes time and intention to build relationships, and you have to lead with service.

As for my favorite story of support for Outdoor Promise, it would have to be that of my family and friends who have gone on the organization's trips as co-leaders and volunteers. It's powerful for them to see the change in the students and to experience everything themselves. So I'm happy to create an avenue for that kind of connection. For context, we are a very small organization and people tend to think we're a lot bigger than we are. We work with a very small budget of less than $50,000 a year, but I think we have a very big impact and we've worked with a lot of people despite being predominantly volunteer run up until recently when we received a grant for $25,000 from our Justice 40 Accelerator Program.

Q: As you probably know, music has been a huge part of the Clearwater experience. Is there a band or musical artist that you feel particularly connected to?

A: It really depends on my mood. I'm a big Bob Marley fan even though that kind of seems cliche. I do listen to a wide range of mostly instrumental music, like Afro Latin vibes. So, I don't know if I can pick a band. I had a classic rock stage but it's definitely an eclectic mix.

Q: What's your favorite plant/bird/fish?

A: My favorite plants are palm/coconut trees. I'm from the Dominican Republic and my happiest memories were at the beach. Drinking from coconuts and hanging my hammock on the beach sounds great. 

As for my favorite bird, I had a scarlet macaw for a long time. Her name was Ruby, we thought she was a "he" for a long time, but then she laid an egg. 

For fish, I would say neon tetras. I love them because they're community minded fish. I've had fish tanks over the years and the problem with those can be trying to maintain the peace. Some fish become aggressive over time, like angel fish, but with neon tetras, when there are so many of them they look great in the tank and they do really well in big packs. They're like the peace keeper.

Q: What's your personal favorite outdoor activity and why?

A: I definitely like kayaking and canoeing. I just became a member of the Newburgh Rowing Club and my friend recently lent me his sea kayak, so I've been doing a lot more of that. I think hiking is usually my go to because it's the easiest. I don't really need much equipment, I can just go out and take my daughter, dog and wife. But I would say kayaking is one of my favorites. I want to get into sailing though! I've never been before but I'm hoping to change that in the future.