Page 3 - MidWeek Windward - June 15, 2022

Windward O‘ahu Entrepreneur Places Environment First
to convey to a broad-
survival.
“Right now,” Cabrera ex-
Cabrera collaborated with Work for Humankind, an initiative born from a part- nership between Lenovo, Island Conservation and the Robinson Crusoe Island community, which called on volunteers from around the world to take part in a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity to volunteer with the remote island residents off the coast of Chile, while working from one of the most isolat- ed offices in the world.
When asked about advice she would give to those look- ing to follow in her footsteps, Cabrera says, “Start now, today, with what you have, about the things you are most passionate about. There are so many amazing organizations doing the work, plug into one of these communities you care about and join solutions. You can build skills, explore your interests, and find community, it is the most rewarding ex- perience. We really need the help.”
plains, “it needs help from advocates and ambassadors in all work sectors. Conser- vation is for everyone, and the ocean is a central part of climate solutions and human health, and it must be pro- tected.”
“The Conservationist Col- lective is a Hawai‘i-based environmental media com- pany that seeks to conserve our planet through com- munity building, media campaigns and educational resources,” Cabrera says. “We work to amplify and advance global conservation initiatives through commu- nication channels, including science communication con- tent, short films, curriculum
Kailua’s Carissa Cabrera is the founder of The Conservationist Collective. PHOTO COURTESY CARISSA CABRERA
Cabrera, a Kailua resident who was raised in Phoenix, worked locally with environ- mental and non-governmen- tal organizations and insti- tutions before founding The Conservationist Collective
island, which allowed par- ticipants to make strides to- ward preventing the extinc- tion of endangered species within the local community, while also working their “day jobs” from the island.
Cabrera and her supporters hope to continue storytelling and creating content around solutions to improve the planet’s health, and building “our community of aspiring changemakers like students, young adults, and passionate
Lenovo provided the tech- nology and critical broad- band infrastructure on the
“I was part of a select group of nine volunteers from across the globe cho- sen to take part in this ini-
For more info, visit thecon- servationistcollective.org.
JUNE 15, 2022 3
CBY KYLE GALDEIRA arissa Cabrera hopes
er audience that the ocean is part of society’s collective livelihood, and everyone depends on it for
and running it as CEO. The eco-friendly entrepreneur earned a bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology with a minor in ma- rine science from University of Arizona before coming to the islands to achieve a mas- ter’s degree in marine sci- ence from Hawai‘i Pacific University.
development, communi- ty-building events and more. I was inspired to create this company because I wanted to get everyone involved in being part of the solution, no matter their background.”
tiative,” Cabrera says of the life-changing experience. “While I was on the island, I worked on three prima- ry projects: a grant writing project to help the commu- nity better understand the recent influx of sea urchins, and to help the community manage its unique biodiver- sity to support fisheries. I also worked with Fundación en Domica on marine pro- tection and coached the is- landers on ‘green fees’ to help fund local conservation efforts.”
environmentalists that want to make a difference. We want to continue to make films and build partnerships to advance solutions for safeguarding our ocean using modern science communication.”
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