The South Carolina Aquarium welcomed leading conservation photographer and storyteller Cristina Mittermeier for an exclusive visit last week.
Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Cristina “Mitty” Mittermeier has been a passionate lifelong advocate for our natural world. A Sony Artisan of Imagery, Mittermeier was named one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year in 2018, received Travel + Leisure’s Global Vision Award for 2021, and was named a WINGS Fellow. Mitty is the founder of two impactful platforms: the International League of Conservation Photographers and SeaLegacy.
During her visit to the South Carolina Aquarium, Mittermeier toured the Sea Turtle Care Center™, where she met with dedicated sea turtle biologists and learned about the vital conservation work that goes into rehabilitating and releasing injured sea turtles back into their natural habitats.
As Mittermeier spoke with Aquarium staff, she relished in their shared beliefs on the importance of storytelling to connect people with nature to inspire change. “Storytelling is important because it's the tool that we have to bring a group of people around the table to find common points of view. It's the way that I'm going to get somebody who is diametrically opposed to what I'm saying to listen to a different story, and to maybe imagine a different outcome.”
Later that evening, Mittermeier took center stage as a special guest at the Aquarium’s annual fundraising gala. Addressing hundreds of attendees, she delivered a powerful speech on the importance of ocean conservation, sharing her experiences, photos and videos from her celebrated career in conservation photography.
Mittermeier emphasized the importance of remaining hopeful when it comes to conservation and protection of the natural world. “I make the active choice every day to remain hopeful and look for the stories, the deeds and the works of others that inspire me,” she said. “There's a massive community of people around the world that are trying to find the solution. So how can you not be hopeful?”
Along with numerous sponsors — including platinum sponsors The InterTech Group and Nina Rumbough and Jan Roosenburg— Mittermeier's inspiring keynote helped the Aquarium raise $250,000 for conservation, education and animal care.
For more information on the South Carolina Aquarium, visit scaquarium.org
