Whitley Mike :: Women's Orca Expedition To Norway

Hello friend! Welcome to my GoFundMe campaign for my expedition to the high arctic to the frigid fjords of Norway in November 2022. I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to tell you about my role in Sea Women Expeditions!

About Me

My life is centered around my love of Orca, sustainable design and graphic art. For years I have saved up to travel to see Orca, their habitats and the people working to protect them. When I am not traveling, I am actively donating my time and skills every week to support as many conservation and awareness projects as I can, as well as connecting with fellow Orca lovers worldwide to learn more. 

I am a graphic and sustainable designer with a master's in Sustainable Design from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. I used my studies to explore the connection between our planet and ourselves and our impact on endangered species. My thesis project's objective is to use sustainability techniques and principles along with habit-forming technology to create long-term, measurable change in the relationship between the Pacific Northwest human community and the Southern Resident Orca. 

You can view my thesis "Using App Technology to Implement Behavior Changes to Support the Southern Resident Orca" here: https://vault.mcad.edu/islandora/object/MASD%3A75/datastream/OBJ/view

Photo by Me:

My Expedition

In addition to my unique education, I seek opportunities to collaborate with and volunteer for Orca conservation projects around the world. In 2019 I was invited to join Sea Women Expeditions (formally known as Sedna Epic Expeditions ), founded by geoscientist, journalist and polar explorer Susan R. Eaton. My expedition team is comprised of an all-female indigenous and non-indigenous team of ocean scientists, circumpolar artists and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) women from around the world working collectively to prepare for and execute our expedition to the Norwegian Arctic waters in 2022.

During the expedition, we will snorkel with Orca to collect research data on the eastern North Pacific Orca. As a group, the women will work to non-invasively observe, document and record Orca during the winter herring run aboard Freya of Waterproof Expeditions.

I will be co-leading an Orca ID project alongside Sarah Neil, a marine mammal behavioral specialist based in the United Kingdom.

I will also serve as an art director to capture the experience and assist the ocean science team with orca acoustic recordings. I will also collaborate as a circumpolar artist in creativity exercises and assist the team's lead photographer with collecting photographic identification of the Orca they observe.

During the expedition, I will be joining and leading a session during a Women's Leadership program in Tromso, Norway, titled "We Are Nature: Finding Our Connection."

Feel free to watch a film about my team and our research vessel made by Garmin!

Outcome Of The Expedition

By observing Orca in the wild and collaborating with indigenous and non-indigenous team of ocean scientists, circumpolar artists and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) women from around the world, I will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain experience the field. My goal is to take what I learn to create an awareness project that centers on a call-to-action for worldwide Orca conservation. As a visual-storyteller with an analytic data-driven process and sustainability education I am confident I can develop a beautiful project to create motivation to protect these beautiful beings, even if they are oceans away. 

Why I Need the Funding

To join the expedition, I need support to help cover the cost of my bed on the boat, my dry fit suit and snorkel gear, camera and recording equipment, and materials for onboard observations. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and every donated dollar will be carefully invested into the expedition and experience. All team members are 100% volunteer and self-funded so any donation would be appreciated!

Thank you for your time and consideration. #SaveTheWhales!