Introducing Bow Seat Social Media Intern Ajay Sawant

I am Ajay Sawant, a student, artist, writer, and ocean activist, and I am thrilled to join Bow Seat as a Social Media intern.

Two years ago, I stumbled upon Bow Seat through a friend who told me about the Ocean Awareness Contest. I was immediately captivated by the idea of creating something meaningful to raise awareness about ocean conservation. Little did I know that this would lead me to write a whole chapbook of nature poems and prose that summer. I was stunned, excited, and eager to participate in the Contest, and I poured my heart and soul into my submission.

A month after submitting my entry, I anxiously messaged Bow Seat’s Instagram account to inquire about the results. To my surprise, I received an instant response from Olivia, the Social Media Manager at the time. We chatted briefly, and she informed me about the open applications for Bow Seat’s Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC). As I eagerly browsed through the information, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.

You might be wondering if I won the Ocean Awareness Contest. Unfortunately, I didn’t, which was disappointing. However, a month later, I received an acceptance into the 2022 FBYC. It was by far the best and most encouraging experience to keep me walking forward with my ocean conservation voyage.

One of my most cherished experiences with the FBYC was managing its Instagram account with my peer Ashlee Yin Romero. I enjoyed working on various designs, memes, and viral reels. Working alongside Ashlee made the experience even more enjoyable, as we bounced ideas off each other and collaborated seamlessly to deliver high-quality content. Helping to manage the FBYC Instagram page was a creative adventure that helped me build long-lasting connections with activists across the world, and this is something that I’ll always hold close to my heart.

My journey with Bow Seat started with the upbeat and positive attitude of the team, which I still treasure the most. This positivity continued to support and guide me as I navigated through choosing my majors in school. It reminded me of my connection to the ocean and my responsibility towards it. Since then I have also been involved with World Ocean Day, The Ocean Project, and The Ocean Foundation x National Geographic Society’s Youth Ocean Action Toolkit initiative focusing on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and National Geographic x The Nature Conservancy Externship Program. I will also be a panelist for an upcoming National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration webinar with OCTO group on MPAs.

Back again, through my term as an intern with Bow Seat, I hope to embody the same upbeat positivity that drove me towards ocean conservation and inspire more people to join in taking action!