This blog post was written by MJ Jiménez Orozco, a 2024 Blue Carbon Ambassador.

I traveled close to 16 hours to get from Madrid to Seattle for the EarthEcho 2024 Youth Ambassadors Retreat, and let me tell you, it was all worth it. Jet lag was no match for me, since the emotion and adrenaline of the hectic days ahead kept me focused and engaged. Although trials and tribulations made me arrive almost a day later, the whole team welcomed me and ensured I integrated properly, keeping me up to date and getting to know each other in the spare moments between conferences and workshops. 

As a Blue Carbon Ambassador, my peers and I met farmers, business owners, and advocates to continue delving into Restorative Aquaculture, Ocean-based Startups, and Indigenous Food Sovereignty, including the various processes for harvest and commercialization of kelp, seaweed, oysters, and mussels. We even got to taste one of the final products! I might be addicted to Korean BBQ Kelp chips or “Seacharrones” now. After these inspiring talks, we dived right into project planning, making posters to illustrate our next steps and getting feedback from the Youth Leadership Council, Marine Plastics Ambassadors, and the staff. I’m forever grateful for all the support and feedback I received for my project, and I cannot wait to see the rest of the ambassador’s projects flourish as well.  

Ocean conservation and environmentalism are not exclusive to scientists and business owners, as two incredible Seattle-based artists showed us their plastic-derived sculptures and climate data-maps paintings, a good reminder that taking a standpoint is what matters, that regardless of your occupation you can make an impact. Phillipe Cousteau, co-founder of EarthEcho, reminded us of the importance of our actions and how we communicate them, emphasizing how the narrative style can drastically change the way an audience interacts with your message. He shared some golden rules and tips to help us navigate through advocacy and public speaking, using the BP Oil spill as one of his personal examples (hint: this is one of the golden rules: connect to your message personally). 

The highlight of the trip, however, was finding common ground with my fellow ambassadors, across ages and programs. It is very rewarding to find a group of people who share your ideals and your passions, especially when having very different backgrounds. Having grown up in Mexico City, a very hectic and overpopulated construction jungle, not only was I far away from the ocean, but far away from people who cared about it as well. EarthEcho is the link that brought me closer to like-minded youth, whose friendships I hope will keep growing, even if we’re oceans away. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to hear these awe-inspiring individuals share their journey through ocean and aquatic conservation, be it through murals, videos, research, policy, or public engagement. 

I’d like to end my entry with the following quote by the legendary Jacques Yves Cousteau: “We only protect what we love, we love only what we understand, and we only understand what we are taught”. My message to everyone is to keep learning and keep teaching each other. I’ve learned so much from my peers and staff, from climate policy and climate justice to personal branding and octopus fun facts, all of which have made me appreciate these connections and understand this world even better. I can wholeheartedly say that, even though it is my first year taking part in this organization, I already love it and love the people involved, all working together to restore our Big Blue World to abundance and stability.