Marigrace was one of the Armida Huerta Adventure Fund women of color scholarship recipients in 2025. She took a Level 1 Packrafting Course.
Marigrace Buendia (right) and Steve Fassbinder, Marigrace and the other Level 1 Learn to Packraft course participants. Steve said this was his favorite course of the season.
Learn to Packraft story & photos by Marigrace.
I am incredibly honored and grateful to have been a recipient of the Armida Huerta Adventure Fund Scholarship, which gave me the opportunity to attend the Learn to Packraft course with Four Corners Guides in Moab, Utah. This experience was my very first time ever packrafting — and also my first visit to Moab — and I absolutely fell in love with the area’s adventurous spirit, stunning desert landscapes, and welcoming outdoor community.
Growing up in Florida, I had never even heard of packrafting. Our rivers and lakes are calm and flat. So learning this entirely new skill was both exciting and a little intimidating. But from the moment I arrived, I felt supported and encouraged by our incredibly knowledgeable and inclusive instructor, Steve, and the amazing group of women who took the course alongside me.
Over the two days, we covered essential skills such as reading the river, understanding currents and eddies, foundational paddle strokes, self-rescue techniques, and packraft care and safety. I went from nervously stepping into a packraft for the first time — even holding the paddle upside down at first! — to confidently navigating moving water, peeling out of eddies, and performing self-rescue under current completely on my own.
As a BIPOC woman, this course meant more to me than just learning a new outdoor skill. It was an empowering reminder that people who look like me belong in these spaces too. Outdoor sports like packrafting have historically been gatekept, but opportunities like the Armida Huerta Adventure Fund make it possible for more of us to build real relationships with wild places. I felt seen, supported, and inspired to continue advocating for greater access and representation in the outdoors.
At just 4’11” and barely over 105 pounds, I was proud to find confidence and strength in my abilities on the river. The small student-to-instructor ratio made a huge difference — it allowed for personalized feedback, strong camaraderie, and plenty of laughs. I left the course not only with the technical knowledge to navigate rivers safely but also with a deep sense of community and empowerment.
This was truly a life-changing experience — one that reminded me of the joy and transformation that comes from stepping out of your comfort zone. I wholeheartedly encourage other adventurous women, especially BIPOC women, to apply for this scholarship. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and connect — both with nature and with yourself.
Thank you to the Armida Huerta Adventure Fund and Four Corners Guides for making this possible, and for honoring Armida’s legacy by helping more people experience the freedom, exhilaration, and self-realization that come with exploring wild rivers and trails.
