Crochet Coral

History of the project:

I started crocheting little ocean animals for fun during the pandemic. It was a hobby I picked up more seriously in middle school, influenced by my friends who all seemed to crochet non-stop. I incorporated my love for making these ocean animals into school projects as a way to make use of all the time I spent with yarn. Once I reached high school and joined the NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador Program, I channeled the crochet into an avenue I had newly discovered through a TED Talk given by Margaret Wertheim. Her discussion about hyperbolic geometry and how corals utilized this math to maximize their own function coupled with the grandeur of her crocheted reef inspired me to start my own little branch of her crocheted coral reef in the city of Riverside. Through the NOAA Ocean Guardian youth Ambassador program and the insight of Margaret Wertheim, I was able to bring together the art of crocheting with my love for coral structure and color into a community outreach project to connect inland communities to the importance of the ocean.