What’s good y’all! Yesterday, I watched The Black Mermaid, a short film on the Waterbear network and I absolutely loved it. I definitely recommend y’all to check it out, it’s only nine minutes long.

The Black Mermaid tells the story of Zandile Ndhlovu and her journey to becoming a freediver*. Zandile is a black woman who lives in South Africa and she grew up staying away from the water because that’s what she has always been told. Just like her family members before her. Tales of a snake who owned the seas. But while she was in Bali on vacation, a snorkeling adventure changed that. A good portion of the film talks about the Sardine Run; a time of year when many different marine animals end up off the coast of South Africa searching for sardines. An expedition of great cost, like regular diving, that typically excludes most people especially black people. This inspired Zandile even more. She created The Black Mermaid Foundation and hopes to inspire others in the black community to join her in exploring the oceans.

*A freediver is someone who dives without the assistance of a tank or any other air supply source, just their breath.

You can find out more about the Black Mermaid here!