From the lowest wetlands to the highest peaks, this explorer rallies youth to fight for their planet

Mount Kinabalu loomed over a 12-year-old Gab Mejia as he embarked on his first hike. It was on this journey in Malaysia that Mejia felt a profound sense of wonder. He made a promise to himself – to explore the entire planet. As he grew older, Mejia’s horizons expanded along with his sense of purpose. Now in his twenties, he’s scaled over 100 mountains and expertly photographed each expedition. But this wanderer and visual storyteller is only getting started.

With the exacerbating climate crisis, nature is on the brink of destruction. Mejia therefore uses his photography to share the lessons he’s learnt along his adventures with schools and universities around the globe. “With every mountain that I climb, I aim to inspire and educate the youth,” he says. Having documented myriad stories from the retreating glaciers of Patagonia to the volcanoes of Babuyan Islands, Mejia encourages people to fight for their planet.

Following his fervour for environmental preservation, he co-founded Youth Engaged in Wetlands. It’s the first-ever project focused on wetlands that’s composed of the younger generation, empowering them to safeguard natural estuaries. “We want to give the youth a voice to create policies for change,” Mejia says. While he fulfills his childhood promise one peak at a time, Mejia is uplifting others to reach their dreams.