Margarita

I’m Margarita, and I’m completely hooked on water. As a freediving instructor, some of my happiest moments happen beneath the surface. Spending time in Yucatán’s cenotes made me want to understand more—not just their beauty, but what lives in them, what threatens them, and how we can care for them. My love of fermentation opened another door: the tiny world of microorganisms. I became curious about whether they could help improve polluted water. That question became CEMI. I started with water samples from 10 cenotes, observing and documenting changes. Now I’m preparing laboratory testing to find out what is actually happening. I don’t have a proven solution; I have a question worth testing. But caring for water means more than testing samples. It also means helping people feel connected to it. Through freediving classes with Maya youth and community work at cenotes, we learn, explore, and care for these places together. My story is about following that love in three directions: exploring how to restore water’s health, deepening our relationship with it, and reconnecting with the people and ecosystems it brings together.