Nicole Morris | Photographer | Marine Conservationist | San Diego
Since Nicole was young, she has aspired to be a marine conservationist. Growing up in San Diego, she spent her childhood among the ocean and her favourite creatures in the sea - rays!
The ocean has always been her place of healing, especially when she realised she was queer. Years later, Nicole realised that she owed it to herself to become what she couldn’t see. From becoming a scuba diver to learning how the lack of LGBTQ+ in marine science can have a devastating impact on aspiring conservationists, Nicole’s passion inspires us all.
Most recently her love for majestic rays has led her to feature in the award-winning film Diving for Rays, which was produced by her wife Angel Morris, one of OCL’s 2022 Grant Runners Up.
What are you doing in or around the ocean?
Longboarder, freediver, scuba diver, and beach dweller.
What are the fondest memories from your upbringing that you feel impacted your life choices and lifestyle today?
When I was growing up my family would do a lot of beach days, and I was taught to always respect the ocean when we visited as a family.
When I got older the ocean became a sort of safe haven for me. It became a place where as a queer person I would not be judged or excluded and when I'm visiting the ocean, I feel like I'm returning home. Now I go to the beach every weekend to surf or freedive, and it’s my favourite place in the world to be.
What/who currently inspires you?
My queer community currently inspires me the most. Right now I look up to my partner Angel, they are a wildlife filmmaker and the way they never stop chasing their dreams is so inspiring to me. In addition to this, I love bringing my queer family to the beach. So much of why I am passionate about being a visibly queer marine conservationist is because I never saw anyone like me in this field. When I take my queer community to the beach for a surf or dive sesh, I am so inspired by queer joy. I am reminded and inspired to continue the marine conservation work.
What path did you choose after leaving school?
Funny enough, when I graduated with a degree in religion, all I knew at the time was that I wanted to help people achieve their dreams and inspire them to be the best version of themselves. I tried all kinds of non-profit and case management work, but it wasn’t long before I realised that the ocean needed to be a key part of my work for my own fulfilment.
This led to my return back to school for a Master’s in Biology, which I am still pursuing while working full-time as an outdoor educator.
What do you value most in life?
As corny as it sounds I value love the most in life. It’s my love for the ocean that has inspired my career. It’s self-love that has allowed me to pursue it and it’s love for my partner and community that keeps me going when my own cup runs dry.
What would you most like to change in the world/environment today?
This is such a hard question because there is so much I would like to change! As an ocean lover and marine conservationist, I would like to change human perceptions of the ocean and marine life. I think people often forget that we are not just in nature, but rather of nature. The things that threaten the ocean's marine life eventually work their way up and affect us as well. That's why sharks and rays are called "keystone species" - without them, the ocean ecosystem would fall apart, and eventually, the rest of the planet would go along with it.
But I also believe that changing perception starts with access to education. Ideally, I would love to give everyone access to clean oceans and facilitate awe-inspiring wildlife interactions. When our community’s needs are met, it is so much easier to advocate for the wildlife within that community. So while I am a marine conservationist, I will always be a community advocate at my core.
What brings you the most joy?
In short, elasmobranchs. I love surfing and looking down to see a bat ray gliding alongside my longboard, or spotting a leopard shark when I’m freediving.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow their dreams?
Do it! Follow your dreams, and know that the earth needs more of YOU and your authentic self. There's no one who can do your passions like you, and there are so many people rooting for you (including me)! It's so wonderful and so worth it to find the thing that you love and pursue it with all that you have.
Follow Nicole’s Journey
Instagram: @coliejean
