Barriers

Sri, enjoying a little snorkel in the great big blue.

Traveling and learning about new cultures and experiencing the world has been a passion of mine since long before the creation of Instagram. Going to New Zealand and Australia at the age of 15 with a group called People to People was my first international travel without my parents and I just fell in love with the Great Barrier Reef. It was one of the most memorable and magical days that I spent in Australia. The colors of the fish and coral were like nothing I had seen before or have seen to this day. I got to opportunity to go back to Australia last year almost 15 years after the first time I went and I can noticeably see the difference in the Great Barrier Reef. There’s so much less coral, so much less color and it’s sad to see what humans are doing to the oceans around the world. Our oceans provide us with sustenance and are magical and powerful beyond belief. We are only given one Mother Earth and we need to do more to take care of it. 

Along with raising awareness, another major thing the Next Swell does is provide opportunities for future marine conservationists to attend graduate school and have some of the costs offset by our scholarships. As someone who works in higher education particularly with low income communities, first generation college students, and students of color, The Next Swell’s goal of increasing access to higher education through a focus on creating more equitable pathways inspires me. Sometimes the high price tag on things like graduate education can be a barrier for students who may otherwise be passionate about things like marine biology or environmental science. This next generation of students is our future so let’s empower and equip them with the tools they need to be successful global citizens that save our oceans and by doing so save humanity.