Reconnecting Afro-Caribbean people with marine conservation

Veta’s nonprofit Fish ’N Fins focuses on teaching Caribbean children to swim, snorkel, and protect our ocean · Ryan Schuessler

Gearing up for a Fish ’N Fins lesson. Veta wants to reconnect Afro-Caribbean people with the ocean because of her own time growing up in Montserrat, where her family had a deep fear of the water · Veta Wade

Swimming pools are often out of reach for local Caribbeans, creating a barrier to getting more folks to swim. Fish ’N Fins overcomes this challenge by teaching children how to swim in the ocean · Ryan Schuessler

The Fish ’N Fins programs include learning centered on playing a key part in the long-term protection of the ocean · Veta Wade

Today, Fish ’N Fins provides over 2,000 youth across the Caribbean with opportunities to learn about local marine life, sea safety, career progression, ocean justice, and more · Ryan Schuessler

Veta finds that this type of data collection and information sharing “means Black communities can contribute to global knowledge about the topics and places they care about and know best.”

Fish ’N Fins students playing in the sea. Veta believes in deepening the opportunities for the next generation of Afro-Caribbeans to be leaders in the ocean economy · Ryan Schuessler

Veta says, “Black people need to swim and be safe in and around water. Black children need to see Black people being comfortable, adventuring, happy, and prosperous in this space.” · Ryan Schuessler

Veta views the ocean as a core part of the story of Black survival. She offers, “The ocean is directly linked to our health and wellness and livelihoods. It is our protection in increasingly violent storms and hurricanes. It’s time the world sees not just our vulnerability, but truly values our contributions to ocean conservation.”

Veta has carved out her own pathway in marine conservation while encouraging the Afro-Caribbean community to be active in the conversation · Veta Wade

Contributors

Kristy Drutman

Founder of Brown Girl Green

Kristy Drutman is a Filipina environmental media creator and the founder of Brown Girl Green, a media platform exploring the intersections between media, diversity, and environmentalism. As a sustainability communications expert, Kristy has spoken in front of thousands and facilitated workshops centered on environmental media and storytelling in cities across the United States. She has also worked with youth from around the world to create collaborative, intersectional online media with the goal of creating conscious, culturally relevant content to engage audiences about proactive solutions to the climate crisis.

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Contributors

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