Emilda and her family get together on a Saturday afternoon before heading to...READ ON
Emilda and her family get together on a Saturday afternoon before heading to the beach to receive the fish in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January 2021. Emilda lives with her daughters and grandchildren. She comes from a long lineage of fisherman, but she hopes for something different for the future of her grandchildren. Living off what the land provides us is not sustainable anymore, she said.
Joli stands next to her daughter, Dalma, at their ranch in San Juanico, Baja...READ ON
Joli stands next to her daughter, Dalma, at their ranch in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2022. Joli splits her days as a mom and working at the ranch. Because of the current drought, and the lack of water she hasn't been able to produce cheese because the goats are not producing milk. Instead she has found other ways of making a living by making soap and sewing.
Without the rain, there is almost no wild food left for the ranch animals,...READ ON
Without the rain, there is almost no wild food left for the ranch animals, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. The cows forage anything including cardons, the tallest cactus in the world. Today the cactus is protected and is prohibited to harvest. The cactus is still used for medicinal properties, for example, a part of the cactus was applied to Joli's husband's finger after being chopped by a sharp tool, resulting in his finger becoming whole again.
Felipe and Olga, have been experiencing a big change in their life in their...READ ON
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.
An empty net lays on the beach, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
Joli walk her land in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
Alejo Romero stands next to a water hole close to his ranch, San Cosme, Baja...READ ON
Alejo Romero stands next to a water hole close to his ranch, San Cosme, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. At the age of eight Alejo used to ride a horse by himself to collect water from this water hole in buckets for his family. The water used to flow through the stone wall. Today the water comes and goes with the rain. He says if they don't get any rain before the summer, the water will all be gone.
Chuy Rojas holds a piece of guaco in Rancho El Paraje, Baja California,...READ ON
Chuy Rojas holds a piece of guaco in Rancho El Paraje, Baja California, Mexico, December, 2021. The native plant grows in the hills of the desert. They have been relying on this herb during the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of the drought, a lot of the herbs have been drying out, resulting in immense pressure for the ranchers that rely on these native plants to feed their animals, or to use as medicine and food. I asked Chuy if he thinks his kids and grandchildren will hold the same knowledge as he does, and his answer was no.
Erick Rojas fights with a cow, for morning milking in Rancho El Paraje, Baja...READ ON
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.
A reflection of a fisherman early in the morning before heading out fishing,...READ ON
A reflection of a fisherman early in the morning before heading out fishing, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
Lidia cooks outside her house, at her ranch, for her granddaughter...READ ON
Lidia cooks outside her house, at her ranch, for her granddaughter birthday’s party in Baja California, Mexico, January 30th, 2021. Both the meal and the way she prepares it maintains the ranch traditional style.
Paola hugs her mom before heading back to the city to study, San Juanico,...READ ON
Paola hugs her mom before heading back to the city to study, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Since Covid she has been back in the town where she was born with her parents. Her dad is a fisherman, but he claims making a living as a fisherman is not viable anymore. “The fish are gone,” he says.
Ornaments outside Joli's house in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
Felipe and his partner before heading out to sea, San Juanico, Baja...READ ON
Felipe and his partner before heading out to sea, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Felipe comes from a long fishing line, but he hopes differently for his kids. “It’s not like it used to be, there are no more fish.” He said.
Joli stands next to the water pump that provides water to the closest town...READ ON
Joli stands next to the water pump that provides water to the closest town eight kilometers away, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. She said that they have plans to dig a new well, because the water levels are down. Residents experienced little to no water for most of last summer.
Pig ears hang on a line at Chuy Rojas house in Rancho el Paraje, Baja...READ ON
Pig ears hang on a line at Chuy Rojas house in Rancho el Paraje, Baja California, Mexico, December 2020. Baja California` Mexico`
Dalma claims that she has no memory of seeing the water run through the dry...READ ON
Dalma claims that she has no memory of seeing the water run through the dry creek ever before, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. Joli, Dalma's mom shared that the last time water ran through the arroyo was seven years ago.
A water tank is being replenished by the water oasis below Rancho el Paraje,...READ ON
A water tank is being replenished by the water oasis below Rancho el Paraje, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. The water levels have been depleting. The last rain storm was three years ago.
Alejo Romero, rides his horse in the landscape where he was born and raised,...READ ON
Alejo Romero, rides his horse in the landscape where he was born and raised, San Cosme, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Alejo was born in a ranch on the other side of the mountain where most of the food and water was gathered from the area. Today the water is trucked from the closest city, about 100 kilometers away, and a lot of the vegetation is prohibited to harvest for conservation purposes.
On New Year’s Eve, Ramon Alvarez sits with his one year old daughter at...READ ON
On New Year’s Eve, Ramon Alvarez sits with his one year old daughter at his father in law’s ranch, Rancho El Paraje, Baja California, Mexico, December 2020. He also lives on a ranch, at his father’s place where he sells and buys animals for a living.
A group of fishermen prepare to go out fishing in San Juanico, Baja...READ ON
A group of fishermen prepare to go out fishing in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. They claim that they haven't pulled any lobster for weeks, creating financial stress in their families and on their dinner tables.
Dalma walks around the ranch with her mom checking some of the wild plants,...READ ON
Dalma walks around the ranch with her mom checking some of the wild plants, after the rain, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022.
Gerardo, Dalma and Joli having a laugh at the ranch in San Juanico, Baja...READ ON
Gerardo, Dalma and Joli having a laugh at the ranch in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Joli grew up on a ranch a few kilometers away, and she still loves the quiet and the lifestyle of a rancher. Her duties have been adjusted by the lack of rain and the inability to produce cheese, one of her main sources of income. With no water, the goats don’t produce milk.
Dalma and Gerardo lay over the water tank, San Juanico, Baja California,...READ ON
Dalma and Gerardo lay over the water tank, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. The water is used to feed the plants and the animals. The ranch has a well of 60 meters that feeds the closest town approximately eight kilometers away. Because of the lack of water, all new water contracts are on pause in the town until a new well is dug.
A view from Joli's ranch, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico January...READ ON
A view from Joli's ranch, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico January 2022. The ranch lost 2/3 of the animals in 2021 because of the drought.
A dead cow it’s found a few kilometers away from Cadeje, where only a...READ ON
A dead cow it’s found a few kilometers away from Cadeje, where only a few residents are left living in the town, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. Many of the ranchers have lost a majority of their animals as a consequence of the lack of rain. Some are abandoning their ranches and history just to survive.
Joli walks through the Alfalfa fields at her ranch, San Juanico, Baja...READ ON
Joli walks through the Alfalfa fields at her ranch, San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. The Alfalfa fields are grown to support the animals that are unable to find food in the wild.
Alejo and his grandchild fix the fence where he keeps the alfalfa to feed the...READ ON
Alejo and his grandchild fix the fence where he keeps the alfalfa to feed the horses, Rancho San Cosme, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Felipe is the last active worker in the ranch. He just lost 100 goats, because of the drought and that was it for him. “It is too much work,'' he says, “I am getting old and I can't do everything. I will never have goats again.” He still owns a few horses and mules but he claims his grandchildren have no interest in following his footsteps.
Felipe stands in front of his boat before launching to go fishing, Baja...READ ON
Felipe stands in front of his boat before launching to go fishing, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
After losing two third of their ranch animals as a consequence of the...READ ON
After losing two third of their ranch animals as a consequence of the drought, the Villavicencio family haven’t lost their hope, San Janico, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
Alejo Romero rides his horse to check out the water hole where he used to get...READ ON
Alejo Romero rides his horse to check out the water hole where he used to get water when he was a kid, Rancho San Cosme, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022.
Joan stands outside his neighbor's house at night in San Juanico, Baja...READ ON
Joan stands outside his neighbor's house at night in San Juanico, Baja California, Mexico, January, 15th, 2021. Water accumulates after a rainstorm. The last big storm came about 3 years ago, people say. San Juanico is facing their biggest drought in history. The town well is drying up and this summer, residents are expecting to have 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 will highlight just how close to the brink many of these communities are and provide a map for how to or not to approach the systemic problem.
Sofia Aldinio Visual Storyteller
Sofia Aldinio is an Argentine-American documentary photographer and multimedia storyteller.