Cristina Mittermeier is a Mexican photographer whose work focuses on wildlife and Indigenous communities. Many years ago, when I first saw one of her pictures, I was deeply impressed, and when I learned about her story, she became one of my greatest inspirations in life. She started as a biologist and, in her twenties, without previous experience, began her career as a photographer. She realized that art was a better way for her to communicate science, and that through storytelling she could share her conservation message with more people. Now she is a highly recognized National Geographic photographer who has founded her NGO, SeaLegacy, with the mission of protecting our oceans and planet.
Because I admire Cristina and her work, I had always wanted to meet her. When I heard that she was going to exhibit her work in Mexico City for the first time, I did not want to miss the opportunity to meet her and learn from her. I had the extraordinary chance to help FOMARES, an NGO that works for ocean conservation in Mexico, organize the events during Cristina’s and Paul Nicklen’s exhibition, Levedad. This exhibition took place during Mexico City’s Art Week. There were many events celebrating art, and Cristina’s exhibition focused on how art can support ocean conservation. During the week of events, there were various presentations and panel discussions with experts from different fields, talking about conservation in Mexico and the challenges we are facing. It was fascinating to listen to Cristina speak with such eloquence and wisdom that, after every event, I felt even more inspired to be part of the change.
Helping organize the events for a photography exhibition was a very new and unique experience for me. I had never been close to the art world before and had no idea how these kinds of events were organized. It was very exciting to explore this different world, and I was very impressed by all the work that has to go into organizing an event like this. There are so many elements involved: the initial ideas, planning, finding the venue, setting up the exhibition, arranging furniture, food and drinks, audio, and many other details that are necessary for an event to be successful, but that I normally would not notice. I also helped during the events themselves, doing everything from decorating the venue and assisting with the guest list to selling merchandise. It was a lot of fun to learn.
Meeting Cristina in person was definitely the highlight of the whole experience. She is a very hardworking woman who has achieved incredible things by pursuing her dreams and never giving up. She continues to work hard and not only shares her photographs to be admired, but also works for real change by promoting laws that support Natural Protected Areas in Mexico and conservation more broadly. She calls everybody to action. I invited some of my fellow biologist friends to one of her book signings for a chance to meet her, and one of the most beautiful moments was when we got to talk to her and she reminded us that we are the next generation, and that it is in our hands to keep fighting and demand sustainable policies from our governments, but most importantly, not to lose hope.
Thank you so much, Cristina Mittermeier, for inspiring us every day and for giving me this amazing opportunity that I will cherish forever. Thank you to the entire FOMARES team, especially Gabriela Gómez, Natalia Carbonell, Fátima Alonso, and Andrés Chávez, who welcomed me and taught me so many things. Your work is truly inspiring. A big thank you to Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society for giving me this dream opportunity. Thank you to all my sponsors: Aqualung, Drysuits Unlimited International (DUI), Faith Ortins/Blue Green Expeditions, Fourth Element, and Backscatter for giving me the gear and tools I will need during my year.
