Celebrating #LatinosMarinos: J. Carlos Maya, Making Waves from the Studio
In this edition of Celebrating #LatinosMarinos, we spoke with J. Carlos Maya, a musician, composer, producer, philanthropist, researcher, and the Chief Creative Officer of Mixto. Carlos was the producer of the podcast En El Mar, an original Azul podcast that is dedicated to raising awareness within Latino communities about the importance of protecting the ocean and our coasts.
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Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where do you call home? What kind of work do you do, and what are you up to when you aren’t working?
I was born in Mexico City, but I have lived most of my life in the United States. First in New York and for the last 20 years in Miami – and I can tell you how in just those 20 years, I have been able to see first-hand how floods have been intensifying in an incredible way due to climate change.
As for my professional side, I do creative and production work with a particular focus on music, entertainment, content, and advertising – from music productions to podcasts, events, and everything! From a very early age, I started working with rock bands and entertainment companies, so interaction with the artistic community, in various disciplines, has always been a constant in my life.
You were the Producer of the podcast En El Mar con Roco Pachukote, an original Azul podcast dedicated to raising awareness in our Latino communities about the importance of protecting the sea. Can you tell us about your favorite part about being part of this project?
My favorite part was definitely how much I was able to learn about the different problems that are affecting the ocean and our coasts – and the realization that we have no time to waste. For some reason, and despite the fact that we hear about climate change every day, it might seem like we still have a lot of time, but the reality is very different.
Why are projects like this podcast and the entire En El Mar campaign so important to our Latino communities?
Latino communities are underrepresented when it comes to environmental justice. If it were a country, the Latino community in the United States would have the 5th largest GDP in the world, and yet, it does not always receive the same attention as other communities. That is why it is so important to have an organization like Azul, which is not only dedicated to educating, but also to working with the Latinx community in all these efforts to protect the ocean and our coasts.
How do music and art help us in our mission to protect the ocean and our communities?
The connection we have with the arts is very deep and goes deeper than we realize. Most of us learned to sing before we learned to speak, to dance before we learned to walk, and to draw before we learned to write. We carry art deeply ingrained in each of us, even within our cultural identity, so there is no more natural way to communicate an idea effectively than through art.
What would you say to someone who doesn’t consider themselves an ocean advocate? How can we all pitch in?
For starters, it is important to understand our own environment and try to make small changes within it. For example, maybe use a towel a few days more, avoid plastic containers as much as we can, do not use plastic bags, avoid wasting not only water but food in general, etc. I think that the fact of being aware of this problem helps us to think about the different ways in which we can make small changes.
On the other hand, it is also our responsibility as citizens to demand that our leaders make the necessary changes to the legislation of each country to reflect stricter protections for our natural resources, and at the same time to demand that the extractive industries take responsibility for their actions or inactions. Ultimately, the goal is for the different sectors of the community to join forces to truly achieve the change we need.
We know that the ocean is essential to the culture and traditions of our Latino communities. How have you seen this connection present in your life?
It has always been present, whether in the form of songs, movies, books, or food. Even having grown up far from the sea, I could always feel the influence it has on our lives. It is as if it has a magnet that draws us to it.
What is your first or best memory of the ocean or the beach?
As I was telling you, I grew up in Mexico City, far away from the sea. So my first encounter was magical. I remember it was in Veracruz, and I had the opportunity not only to be on the beach but also to live with fishermen and local people so I could see how for children my age, the sea was their playground – an extension of them. It was a powerful and awe-inspiring feeling.
If you could be any animal that lives in the ocean, which one would you be and why?
For some reason, I always identified with dolphins. They seem to me to be very intelligent beings that have a great time playing in the sea!
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