The kids cemetery in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. The small community has at least four different cemeteries generationally identified. For vulnerable communities like this one, the risk to their members is the decreasing ability to sustain a living off the land as climate change continues to impress what seems like irreversible change in Baja California, Mexico.
Andrea Murillo, Irma Murillo and Norma Murillo (from left to right) share a kitchen to prepare a meal in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. The three of them were born and raised in the community, but only Norma still lives there. Norma's daughter migrated for better income opportunities to the closest active community almost two hours away from San Jose de Gracia. While we sit and share a meal, they recount stories of how they used to make dresses, dance and always have big shared meals with the community.
All the young families migrated away from the community leaving empty classrooms and abandoned houses, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. The future of the younger generation is uncertain, pushing them to migrate to other cities, and even countries, finding new ways of life.
Felipe and Olga, have been experiencing a big change in their life in their home of San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January 2021. What once was a quiet life full of rich fish is now a struggle to make a living. “There are no more fish,” Felipe says. Migration has already impacted many people in Central America. Because Baja California is a borderland, it is expected that increased border stress between Mexico and the United States will be felt due to the severe effects of climate change in parts of Central America.
Erick Rojas fights with a cow, for morning milking in Rancho El Paraje, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. Erick just returned to his father's land with his wife and two children. He spent a year working for a mine, but the pay was awful making it impossible to survive. Erick’s father, Chuy, is the keeper of the land’s knowledge, and if lost within the family, it will likely be forever.
Ornaments are placed in a rock crack in the mountain next to the canyon in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021.
An empty fish net lays on the beach in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. With the weather patterns shifting the small fishing villages have been affected, leaving fishermen with empty nets. Fishing seasons are not reliable anymore, words shared repeatedly throughout various fishing villages in Baja California, Mexico.
Joan stands outside his neighbor's house at night in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. Water accumulates after a rainstorm. The last big storm came about three years ago, people say. San Juanico is facing their biggest drought in history. The town well is drying up and this past summer, residents had serious issues with the water levels. The government recently announced the cancelation of any new water contracts until the new well is dug. The immediacy of the issue faced by this small frontier town highlights just how close to the brink of survival many of these communities are and may provide a map for how to, or not to, approach the systemic problem.