When Selina Barajas moved back to Tucson from Los Angeles in 2018, she was looking for a way to reconnect with the desert.

Hiking was the obvious solution and something that she had come to enjoy in Los Angeles, thanks to the hiking dates she would take with her husband and a friend who worked for the county. She enjoyed being out in nature and exploring different trails, saying it brought her peace and mental clarity.

After she became reacquainted with Tucson’s trails, Barajas, who is in the process of opening South Tucson’s first-ever coffee shop and open habitat for birds and butterflies, wanted to share this peace with others. She reached out to some Tucson friends and pitched the idea of a hike, which was an immediate hit.

The ladies held their first group hike in January 2022, calling themselves “Reinas Who Hike." The name came from Barajas’ habit of calling every woman she meets “Reina,” the Spanish word for “queen.”

In a world full of uncertainty and anxiety, the group quickly became a source of welcoming consistency for its members.

“I’ve been able to see their growth through our hiking group,” Barajas, who is running for Tucson City Council in Ward 5, told Tucson Spotlight. “Not a lot of them have had a safe space to move their body in a comfortable setting and be around women where there is no judgment.”

The hiking group doesn't charge a membership fee and is open to anyone who wants to join. Many women bring their daughters, friends, and moms, creating a multigenerational group.

Barajas plans every detail in advance, from parking to mapping out bathrooms and picnic areas. During the hikes, the women learn the history of the trail and how it was built.

Many of the hikes are on the west side of Tucson, but the group has started branching out to other areas. Their most recent hike was at Catalina State Park.

The hikes offer many of the women a spiritual connection with the Earth and themselves. Cassandra Becerra, who works for U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, said she appreciates the empowering environment that the group offers her.

“A lot of women aren’t used to being called (Reina),” Becerra said. “It was about changing that mentality. We should call ourselves that. That’s what we are. At the end of the day, we are what we label ourselves as.”

The group is made up of women from all walks of life, offering both physical and emotional safety, especially in times of loss.

“I heard about Reinas Who Hike after my brother passed away. He always loved hikes,” said Jackie Gallegos, remembering a time when she was in search of a supportive community. “When I went to the first hike, I recognized one of the hikers as my friend from school … Selina. It ended up being something that my friend created, and it was even that much more joyful to support Reinas Who Hike.”

For the group’s members, the term “reina” has taken on deeply personal meanings.

“I see it as someone who uplifts each other and makes me feel a sense of security as a woman. In my field, I’ve never felt secure because it’s such a male-dominated field,” said Melissa Hernandez, chef and food service director at Mobile Meals for Southern Arizona. “(The Reinas) empower me and make me feel like I am contributing not only to the 'Reinahood,' but also to the community.”

Barajas hopes to plan camping trips outside of the state and to attract a sponsor that wants to deck out members in branded hiking gear.

But more than that, she wants the group to expand its reach and continue building the "Reinahood" in a lasting way.

“A reina to me is someone who is confident in their own self, somebody who is not afraid to stand out in a room full of people who might not be on your side or have your same mindset,” said Gallegos. “Somebody that represents strength.”

McKenna Manzo is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at mckennamanzo@arizona.edu.

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