Esmeralda Albañez used to be afraid of the sea. Just thinking about it would conjure up images of darkness, of how deep and unknown it was to her. Coming from a family of fishers and having grown up on Isla Natividad, in Baja California Sur, Mexico, it was clear that there was a connection between her and the sea surrounding her, but something kept her away from the water. From an early age, she was taught that the sea was not a place for women. From afar, Albañez watched as other women, mainly biologists, went diving near the island. Deep down, she wanted to escape her domestic chores — at least for a moment — and be one of them. That’s why one invitation was all she needed to overcome her fears. Encouraged by a friend, she signed up for a diving class, and now, every time Albañez puts on her wetsuit, the whole world seems different to her. Esmeralda Albañez carrying out scientific monitoring on Isla Natividad. Image by Jennifer Adler. “The first time I saw the colors and the light, the first time I was able to interact with the fish, I fell in love with the sea,” Albañez says. “Soon after, they told us that we could train to carry out monitoring with a group of men who had already been working on it since 2006. I didn’t hesitate to sign up.” In 2011, Albañez trained in scuba diving; three years later, in 2014, she was certified…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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