Ravaging winds of nearly 200 mph tore through trees, homes, and neighborhoods. Its storm surge and heavy rainfall produced floods of nearly 20 feet, completely submerging more than half of Grand Bahama island. Stalling over Great Abaco and Grand Bahama for nearly three whole days, Hurricane Dorian left nothing but destruction and demise in its wake. Two years have passed and we’re still rebuilding, restoring, and recovering what was lost.

 

Having lived in The Bahamas for more than 14 years, hurricanes have always been a part of my life; I’ve grown accustomed to the school closings, distressing news broadcasts, supermarket rushes, and prolonged power outages. But this isn’t how it should be.

 

Studies show that global warming and pollution both contribute to the development and strengthening of hurricanes. If we can reduce pollution and mitigate global warming, we can help prevent and protect against hurricanes and build a cleaner and greener environment for future generations.

 

This desire to restore what has been lost, protect our vulnerable environment, and build a brighter future for our planet is what inspired me to start my environmental non-profit organization, Sea Strong Bahamas, in June 2022. In one year alone, we've hosted several fundraising events, organized numerous beach cleanups and ecosystem restoration projects, shared countless educational posts to our social media platforms, and invited multiple environmental specialists and non-profit leaders to connect with our local communities through online and in-person speaker seminars.

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I am proud of what we as an student-led organization have been able to accomplish thus far and I look to the future with high hopes of how we'll continue to pursue our mission of building a brighter, more sustainable future for The Bahamas.