Through EarthEcho International's Ocean Protection Ambassador program, eight young ocean advocates led impact campaigns focused on the expansion and enhancement of MPAs across the United States. The experience also united Ambassadors at Capitol Hill Ocean Week to directly elevate their campaign priorities with Congressional and Administration officials, further developing their advocacy skills and advancing this work.This unique, paid professional development experience, hosted in collaboration with local partner organizations, builds capacity for community-based action grounded in authentic youth leadership

The “Guardianes del Litoral” initiative from Corazon Latino created a curriculum centered around environmental stewardship and ocean-river interactions that gained approval from the Puerto Rico Department of Education. Over 10,000 students were engaged via a traveling exhibit tied to the new curriculum, inspiring youth engagement with conservation and developing sustainable human-nature relationships.

Hispanic Access Foundation establishes bridges of access that provide a path for the development and rise of Latino leaders and elevate their voices. In 2024, their ocean program launched the inaugural DIVES initiative, where they have certified 10 new Latino open-water scuba divers across six states and Puerto Rico while enhancing their ocean literacy skills. Visit their website to read more about DIVES and check out Hispanic Access Foundation's latest whitepaper exploring Latinos’ role in US Fisheries.

Ocean conservation has a rich and complicated history in the Mariana Islands. A landscape analysis and report by Christina Sablan and Alex Tudela explores what “community-led conservation” means and a path forward for the islands. Informed by surveys and  interviews, they articulate principles and specific actions to advance future conservation efforts.

Azul has fielded the largest polling dataset on Latino communities and ocean justice. The 2024 National Azul Poll tells the story of people power— Latinos are agents of action, change and protecting our communities. 80% of Latino voters are more likely to support candidates advocating for stronger ocean protection and ocean justice, demonstrating Latino leadership in the ocean space and motivating Azul’s work to protect 30x30 and combat threats to our ocean.

Blurb: In June 2024, Environment America Research & Policy Center and its partners Frontier Group and U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a report detailing the devastating environmental impacts of deep-sea mining, making the case that we do not need destructive deep-sea mining operations to meet our critical mineral needs. The world trashes more copper and cobalt in our electronic waste than miners would likely extract each year from the central Pacific through at least 2035. Read more in the report.

For the third year in a row, the Duke Marine Lab has hosted a Pastoral Care for Climate retreat co-led by Creation Justice Ministries, the Duke Divinity School, Duke's Nicholas School for the Environment, and the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative. This retreat brought together church leaders from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia to learn from climate scientists, theologians, and public health experts on how to weave climate advocacy into the life of their faith communities. Image Credit: Tess Koontz, Creation Justice Ministries

The Surfrider Foundation Puerto Rico designed a project to successfully engage a diverse set of local stakeholders in the development of a new marine protected area (MPA) in Aguadilla Bay on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast. In addition to supporting new protections for ocean habitats, Surfrider supported the management and ongoing conservation of existing MPAs, restored critical coastal habitats near these reserves, and helped build community capacity to lead and engage in ocean protection issues in Puerto Rico

In 2023, Mystic Aquarium hosted a 3-part series of conversations, “Amplifying Diverse Perspectives in Conservation” to learn from Tribal and BIPOC communities in Southern New England about their work in the community and its connection to modern day conservation. These conversations highlighted relevant ocean conservation issues important to the community, which included marine protected areas, and provided a space to explore interests and opportunities, and discuss ways to engage and respect sovereign rights of Tribes.

On February 28, 2024, the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary was declared a Mission Blue Hope Spot. This first Tribally-nominated marine sanctuary would permanently protect over 7,000 square miles of irreplaceable ocean ecosystems and would help to preserve Chumash cultural heritage. This collaboration between the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and Mission Blue highlights the importance of designating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary in 2024 to permanently protect this sacred coastline.