Team

Antonique grew up in Manenberg, in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town, where she rarely had the opportunity to visit the ocean. She knew to respect it, though, for as beautiful as it is, it can also be a scary place. So she learned to keep her distance. From Grade 7 she started working towards making her dream of studying journalism a reality, and in 2021 she graduated from Rhodes University with an Honours degree in Journalism. By this time, however, Antonique realised her path had shifted and instead of being a humanitarian journalist, she wanted to tell stories through filming and editing.

Her first job was in conservation and although she had never imagined advocating for the conservation of the ocean, this is where her passion grew. Learning more about the ocean and having it become more accessible to someone like her shifted her entire mindset. Still aware that the ocean can be scary and that we should always respect it, she realises that, more importantly, we should look after it because it is so much more. It provides for us, protects us and heals us, often without our realising it. Antonique is therefore grateful to be working in conservation and wants to use her newfound knowledge to show people who come from a background similar to hers that this world is ours and we are allowed to take up space in it, whatever our circumstances. To surround oneself with nature is something that everyone should experience. She loves the work she does at the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Education Centre. In her opinion, education is power, and she is grateful that her path has led her here. She can see change happening and appreciates the opportunity to play a part in it.