Why do you care deeply about the ocean/what inspires you to protect it?

The ocean is a part of me and I am a part of it. She courses through my blood, brain, and sustains the oxygen I need to survive. The ocean is the beating blue heart of humanity and our hearts beat as one. I am deeply grateful to mother ocean because she is the largest carbon sink, absorbs excess heat in our atmosphere that would otherwise make our planet to hot to live on, and keeps billions fed. However, I love mother ocean with an indescribable amount of passion because she has helped to heal me and give me the strength to pursue my greatest passion in life - healing the relationship between ocean health and human health by training a rising generation of ocean guardians in ways that resonate with them. As a child I lived across 3 continents and around 6 seas. The sea was my friend. A place where I found refuge and solace in moments where I was overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure of myself. Whether it was a warm hug, or a cold wave slap, the sea always embraced me. When I felt most alone and even depressed because of the weight of the world and climate crisis, the sea would welcome me in and her soothing presence would replenish my soul, filling my cup once again with that bubbling joy I’ve had since the age of 2. My natural instinct is to do whatever I can to protect the ocean and encourage as many other members of my generation - GenZ to use their unique skillsets to do so as well. I’m inspired to protect the ocean like I would protect my own mom, sister, partner, best friend, or myself. With love, intention, ferociousness, energy, and perseverance. I am the ocean and the ocean is me. I will protect her for all of eternity. She’s been providing me and my ancestors life for centuries. We all come from her watery womb and will return home to her. Ocean Health = Human Health

How are you working to create a positive impact with your platform and/or in your own life?

I’m a bridge-builder and accelerator of Intergenerational Collaboration for ocean-climate solutions. My work focuses on policy advocacy, ocean action movement building, and direct investment into up-skilling of GenZ as the future leaders of the blue economy. It touches on a number of important topics needed to protect the planet for the next 100 + years with an ocean justice and inclusion lens. I’m creating a positive impact by working directly with Indigenous and Community leaders in coastal communities across planet ocean to accelerate ecosystem restoration, ocean-climate literacy, and policy change. This includes mobilizing youth towards supporting a deep sea mining moratorium, high seas treaty, global plastics treaty, ocean rights frameworks and getting involved in ocean stewardship. It also looks like supporting motivated and committed young ocean leaders to reach places of decision-making power. This happens by working with ocean companies, ENGOs, and the private sector including the global B-corp network towards 3 key Intergenerational actions that help place power and capital back in the hands of young leaders best equipped to co-develop solutions with dynamism in a rapidly changing environment: 1. Advocating for companies to include a young person on their executive board or within their c-suite as a key demographic of their workforce, 2. Co-developing paid internships for marginalized youth to improve ocean-climate leadership and enter positions of power, 3. Mentoring a young person to be an even better change-maker than you by opening up your network and sharing Intergenerational wisdom openly. In this lifelong journey of ocean guardianship, I have shared ocean solutions, hope, educational materials and useful insights to over 150+ ocean organizations, tens of thousand of young people across conferences, events, and workshops, and hundreds of thousands of people through social media platforms. Working to empower ocean communities and create a pathway for young people to grow a career in the blue economy through education, leadership training, consulting, content, media, and consulting does not always yield immediate outcomes. Healing and restoring our ocean is a long-term mission. That’s why since the age of four, I’ve dedicated my life to this mission, one that is critical to sustaining all species on our shared blue marble.

If you could share one tip for protecting our blue planet, what would it be?

BE YOU. Embrace your humanity and look inside. Explore your own inner ocean to find your superpowers. Use your skillsets, passions, and interests to solve challenges. Be a solutionist and always stay humble because just like me, you too are an imperfect human. Listen to your intuition, mother ocean and nature to find the answers to your questions. All the answers you seek already lie within you deep down. Most importantly remember that nature has no ego, nor is she judgemental, so why should you be? Remember to see the beauty in others because we need to foster a diverse ocean conservation movement in order to protect the incredibly diverse ecosystems we love and will do everything to protect. For my budding young ocean leaders - ask for help - take risks and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there - stay humble - there’s always more to learn

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