"None of these opportunities get planted on your lap. All of them you have to look for, or its a referral, so you should always research what you want to do." Today we sit down with Laura Hernandez, an international changemaker, neurodivergent advocate, and intersectional environmental to talk about how she got her start, and what lessons you can take to get leadership roles in your early career.

Connect with Laura

IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurabeyondborders/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurahernandezmerlano/

Learn More about FutureSwell 🙃🎧

🌊 Resources: https://beacons.ai/futureswell

🌍 Website: http://futureswell.org/

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This is a production of FutureSwell, a conservation media company aimed to educate, empower, and activate the next generation of marine conservationists. Our primary goal at FutureSwell is to connect people with the beauty and power of the ocean.

We're back! Let's talk about everything that happened at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, just how big the milestones were, and what it really means for our ocean. Missed you :)

Join Futureswell!

🎧 Sustainability & The Sea Podcast - ⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sustainabilityandthesea⁠⁠

🌊 Resources - ⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/futureswell⁠⁠

🌍 Website - ⁠⁠http://futureswell.org/⁠⁠

💦 Ocean-friendly Merch - ⁠⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/⁠⁠

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🐠 Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a production of FutureSwell, a conservation media community to educate, empower, and activate the next generation of marine conservationists.

Lets dive into the single tool you need to protect planet ocean, together.

Topics: good ocean news, advocacy, how to take action with lawmakers

Find ALL your elected officials: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

Get scripts with 5calls: https://5calls.org

Join the ocean climate collective channel: https://www.instagram.com/carissaandclimate/?hl=en

Join Futureswell!

🎧 Sustainability & The Sea Podcast - ⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sustainabilityandthesea⁠⁠

🌊 Resources - ⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/futureswell⁠⁠

🌍 Website - ⁠⁠http://futureswell.org/⁠⁠

💦 Ocean-friendly Merch - ⁠⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/⁠⁠

✍️ Subscribe to our monthly newsletter - ⁠⁠https://futureswell.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠

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🐠 Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a production of FutureSwell, a conservation media community to educate, empower, and activate the next generation of marine conservationists.

"We as young people need to step into our own power!"

Mark Haver is an ocean climate policy advocate who works with Sustainable Ocean Alliance to organize youth leaders for impact. We discuss his path toward this work, and how to effectively organize for the future we want during the incoming U.S. administration.

Connect with Mark Haver!

🌊 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceanswarrior/

🌊 Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-haver-7441b1164/

Learn More about FutureSwell by following us on:

🎧 Sustainability & The Sea Podcast - ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sustainabilityandthesea⁠

🌊 Resources - ⁠https://beacons.ai/futureswell⁠

🌍 Website - ⁠http://futureswell.org/⁠

💦 Ocean-friendly Merch - ⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/⁠

✍️ Subscribe to our monthly newsletter - ⁠https://futureswell.beehiiv.com/⁠

🐙 Tiktok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@futureswell⁠⁠

🐠 Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a production of FutureSwell, a conservation media community to educate, empower, and activate the next generation of marine conservationists.

"We will never clean beaches out of this mess, we need big systemic change.”

Letʻs talk ocean solutions with Dr. Chad Nelsen, a lifetime waterman and CEO of Surfrider Foundation. Surfrider is the worldsʻ largest grassroots network dedication to the protection and enjoyment of the ocean. In the last 6 months, Surfrider has sued Exxon Mobil, established a new Climate Action Program, supported a new marine sanctuary, and celebrated 40 years of impact. We talk through ways you all can join their network, the importance of policy and advocacy, and what it means to build and share case studies of ocean solutions.

Get Involved with Surfrider!

🌊 New Climate Action Program: https://www.surfrider.org/programs/climate-action

🌊 Find a volunteer chapter: https://www.surfrider.org/volunteer

🌊 Surfrider sues Exxon Mobil: https://www.surfrider.org/news/surfrider-sues-exxon-for-burying-the-truth-about-plastics

🗳️ Lead Locally voting resources: https://leadlocally.org

Learn More about FutureSwell by following us on: 🎧 Sustainability & The Sea Podcast - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sustainabilityandthesea 🌊 Resources - https://beacons.ai/futureswell 🌍 Website - http://futureswell.org/ 💦 Ocean-friendly Merch - https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/ ✍️ Subscribe to our monthly newsletter - https://futureswell.beehiiv.com/ 🐙 Tiktok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@futureswell⁠⁠ 🐠 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠ ⛵ Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/sailcargo⁠

This is a production of FutureSwell, a conservation media company aimed to educate, empower, and activate the next generation of marine conservationists.

"I wish I could go back and take this program" Gap years give young adults a chance to experience the world while building unforgettable memories before college. We sit down with Michael Richards to dive into how his Environmental Gap year program on Hawaiʻi Island is charting a new path for sustainability-minded leaders.

💌 Apply now to Hawaiʻi Environmental Gap year! https://hawaiigap.org

Connect with FutureSwell:

🐋 Sustainable ocean merch

🎧 Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrujfJOMtB5cee4y0hLqhNQ⁠⁠⁠

🌊 Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/futureswell⁠⁠⁠

🌍 Website: ⁠⁠⁠http://futureswell.org/⁠⁠⁠

🐙 Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@futureswell?lang=en⁠⁠⁠

🐠 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/⁠⁠⁠

💦 ocean-friendly merch: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/⁠⁠⁠

✍️ Subscribe to our monthly newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠https://futureswell.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠

💌 Email: ⁠⁠⁠hello@futureswell.org⁠

Carissa met with the State Department to learn about their ocean policy progress - here is how it went.

Connect with FutureSwell

🐋 Sustainable ocean merch

🎧 Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrujfJOMtB5cee4y0hLqhNQ⁠⁠⁠

🌊 Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/futureswell⁠⁠⁠

🌍 Website: ⁠⁠⁠http://futureswell.org/⁠⁠⁠

🐙 Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@futureswell?lang=en⁠⁠⁠

🐠 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/⁠⁠⁠

💦 ocean-friendly merch: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/⁠⁠⁠

✍️ Subscribe to our monthly newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠https://futureswell.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠

💌 Email: ⁠⁠⁠hello@futureswell.org⁠⁠

Everything you need to know about deep sea mining as an ocean conservation issue, and how to stop it with us.

Action Toolkits:

- Tell Congress in the U.S. to oppose DSM!

- @look_down_action DSM toolkit

- Follow Sustainable Ocean Alliance for updates and @oxygenproject and @look_down_action

🐋 Are you registered ⁠⁠to vote?⁠

Connect with FutureSwell

🐋 Sustainable ocean merch

🎧 Youtube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrujfJOMtB5cee4y0hLqhNQ⁠⁠

🌊 Resources: ⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/futureswell⁠⁠

🌍 Website: ⁠⁠http://futureswell.org/⁠⁠

🐙 Tiktok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@futureswell?lang=en⁠⁠

🐠 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/futureswell/⁠⁠

💦 ocean-friendly merch: ⁠⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/futureswell/⁠⁠

✍️ Subscribe to our monthly newsletter - ⁠⁠https://futureswell.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠

💌 Email: ⁠⁠hello@futureswell.org⁠