Never dreamed of this but here we are, with an immense sense of gratitude, joy, uncomfortableness, and astounishment.
Right now, a moment that keeps ringing in my head is when a Curandera read my cards and, without knowing a thing about me, told me to keep helping young people, and just last week I made the cover of one of the best surf magazines out there because of the work I do with our students over @un.mar.de.colores
I don’t know much about where I’m going, but I do feel like I’m on the right path.
Read “Ancestor Blue” now in Issue 5 of Emocean.
Mil gracias to
Thembi, Mariah, and the @emocean.surf Team for making an alternative surf mag that provides a platform for counter culture surf stories and art.
Huge thanks to Gala for being the master mind behind the vision, Julien for his amazing eye, Heather and Logan for their talented creations on the custom upcycled wardrobe, Terri for keeping the hair and make up on point on the most windiest day of the year, and my agent Guzel for all the behind the scenes magic making.
Photographer: @julien__sage
Creative Direction & Casting: @galalux
Styling: @thatgirlisacowboy@loganneitzel
Grooming: @dingdongdonghi
Talent Agency: @otherpeopleschildren
“I’ve gotten to a point in my surfing where I thought that I need to get kids experiencing this. I wanted to create a way to pass along that opportunity to future generations; to local kids who haven’t had the privilege to enjoy the ocean the same way surfers do. I noticed a gap between some of the working-class families who lived in Encinitas but were not experiencing the beach due to lack of resources or access. From that blossomed Un Mar De Colores. A Non-profit organization that bridges the socioeconomic gap in surfing by providing free surf lessons to children of color and underserved youth. The mission is simple: share the ocean, diversify the lineup, and inspire youth.” - @marrioo
Meet Mario Ordoñez-Calderón; a surfer, non profit founder and an all around epic human.
Our latest episode of “Wave Faces” is now playing through the link in our bio.
We showed up to celebrate an incredible graduation for our youth…and left with an honor of our own 🥲
Right in the middle of it all, our team found out that May 2nd is officially declared “Un Mar de Colores Day” in San Diego County. This proclamation from the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors, led by Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre, recognizes the impact our Un Mar community has built and the role it plays across our region.
We’re beyond grateful for the County supervisors recognition, our youth, our families, volunteers, our team, and every single person who has helped shape us into what it is.
And if receiving a County proclamation in board shorts isn’t the most Un Mar–coded thing ever… I don’t know what is. 🌊
Mark your calendars folks! May 2nd will forever be a day of COLORES.
Y ahora, celebramos 🌞🌊🎊
Still processing the magical moments that occurred while spending seven days at sea aboard the @statsraad_lehmkuhl with an incredible group of humans in the Cali-Baja iAlumbra ecosystem. Somewhere along those 935 nautical miles, a reminder kept rising for me: We learn to swim before we learn to walk. Being aboard the ship slowed us down. It softened the edges. It gave us these small moments of vulnerability and awareness we couldn’t force, we can only receive. The Ocean was working its magic. In the story of who we are as humans, water was our first home. Life came from the ocean long before any of us ever took steps on land. And when we enter the ocean today, we’re not learning something new. We’re returning to something ancient. Out there, I felt that. The ocean asked me to surrender, to adapt, to float and reminded me that Before structure, Before speed, Before urgency this kind of fluidity is our oldest wisdom. I feel reaffirmed with the value that the ocean is not foreign to us. We come from a small ocean of our own, the amniotic sea we float in before we’re even born, long before we take our first breath. So yes, We belong to the water. Grateful for the reminder and hoping to bottle up that feeling and keep it with me for many moons to come.
Our querido friends at @justpeachymarket are navigating a difficult moment as their family faces an immigration court hearing on November 25 that will determine the future of their family and small business. Just Peachy has been a pillar in our community, reminding us that local markets are the heart of every neighborhood. They’ve shown up for others and for Un Mar de Colores in meaningful ways that remind us how mutual care strengthens our community.
As they prepare for this hearing, we’ll help funnel community energy and resources in a coordinated way, whether it be connecting with San Diego based legal aid, immigrant support networks, and/ or exploring collective fundraising if needed. For those who wish to offer direct encouragement or learn more about their journey, the family has invited people to connect through their page at @justpeachymarket
When they come for one of us, they come for all of us. Let’s stand in solidarity.
From some early shoreline dreams to full on Un Mar hub, we’ve officially found a home. For the past couple of years my head’s been down and focused with my heart feeling good and full. I’ve been slowly building while celebrating and honestly still trying to make sense of how lucky I am. Somewhere in all that, roots started to deepen thanks to the love and watering that’s been poured into our vision. Culminating to this June as we arrived at the moment when we moved from the beach to an office. Gotta give a huge thanks to my childhood best friend @ryder.england and his wild vision for a creating a community space inside a 117-year-old home in Oceanside at @_dear_tomorrow
I’ve been documenting the little-by-little transformations of our 12x10 room and how this house has become a home for serving our community, while nurturing the one within our own crew. For real, I can’t say this enough, this place has been a lifesaver. From parking our vans, storing our boards, to acting as a pick up spot for parents. Not to mention we have some of the coolest creative office neighbors like @colormagic.coffee , @ggmunoa , @cedrus_design_co , and @alannamparra .
I don’t really know what’s next for us ya’ll and thats ok. I’ve heard that becoming is leaning into the uncertainty. So here we go, full lean baby.
Sunburnt lips. Reef cut feet. Same swim trunks on for three days straight. The pinch in the front of my right shoulder from over ten hours of surfing. Belly bloat from the great but not so healthy camp food. Solid catch up time disconnected from the rat race. Sand, everywhere. No cell phone service in the canyon. The spotting of two deer on a 6 am sunrise run. Falling asleep on a chair by the fire. The spray of the water raining down on your face from the wave breaking off the rock at the point. Feeling sunned out but staying in the sun. Catchin up with old friends. The reflective drive back home. The unpacking of dusty gear. The annual Leo trip has remained tried and true year after year. 🤍
Visions of the Cali–Baja coastline while out at Sea stitched into our Field Coat from algae to agave-ocean to desert for this special @perroyarena X @un.mar.de.colores collaboration.
Small-batch, one-of-one pieces, vintage-sourced, #26–30/#30 now available at @_dear_tomorrow (Mon–Fri, 10–2).
Mil gracias to Socrates of @perroyarena for translating coastline stories into craft and sharing your fire with us over at Un Mar. Truly dream weaving.
