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Building a BS radar: misinformation, conservation, and civic engagement (with Abraham Hickson)
At 16, Abraham Hickson is already using his voice to fight for the future he’ll inherit. A repeat guest on Martina’s manta ray night swim, he watched tourists ignore the rules and harass the animals, and something shifted: anger turned into responsibility.
In this conversation, Martina and Abraham explore how a single ocean encounter can ignite a lifelong commitment to advocacy, how speech & debate can sharpen a young person’s voice, and why learning to spot misinformation is now a survival skill.
In this episode:
- Anger can fuel productive change: That moment of frustration in the water encouraged Abraham to build the communication skills he’d need to advocate for issues he cares about.
- Why Gen Z's voice matters: This generation inherited massive environmental and political challenges, and they're the ones who'll live with the consequences, making their engagement and leadership critical right now.
- Direct experience drives responsibility: A single, powerful wildlife experience can shift someone’s understanding of what’s worth protecting.
- Critical thinking is non-negotiable: With misinformation everywhere, building a reliable BS radar is essential for anyone trying to make sense of the world.
Key Moments:
(00:00) Intro: Why Gen Z voices matter right now
(03:21) A moment in the water that changed Abraham’s perspective
(08:27) Martina's path from engineering to ocean advocacy
(12:01) Building a small, ethical ocean recreation business
(16:22) The transformative power of manta ray experiences
(20:46) Speaking up, confrontation, and cultural differences
(24:31) Finding his voice through advocacy and debate
(29:23) What competitive debate actually teaches you
(35:56) Connecting values to policy and civic action
(43:46) Spotting misinformation and building a “BS radar”
(49:29) From manta ray magic to meaningful change
Episode page and resources:
https://oceanwingspodcast.com/episode/abraham-gen-z
Get Martina’s emails: oceanwingspodcast.com/newsletter
More about manta rays on https://mantarayadvocates.com/
Follow us on YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky
View all episodes
By Martina WingAt 16, Abraham Hickson is already using his voice to fight for the future he’ll inherit. A repeat guest on Martina’s manta ray night swim, he watched tourists ignore the rules and harass the animals, and something shifted: anger turned into responsibility.
In this conversation, Martina and Abraham explore how a single ocean encounter can ignite a lifelong commitment to advocacy, how speech & debate can sharpen a young person’s voice, and why learning to spot misinformation is now a survival skill.
In this episode:
- Anger can fuel productive change: That moment of frustration in the water encouraged Abraham to build the communication skills he’d need to advocate for issues he cares about.
- Why Gen Z's voice matters: This generation inherited massive environmental and political challenges, and they're the ones who'll live with the consequences, making their engagement and leadership critical right now.
- Direct experience drives responsibility: A single, powerful wildlife experience can shift someone’s understanding of what’s worth protecting.
- Critical thinking is non-negotiable: With misinformation everywhere, building a reliable BS radar is essential for anyone trying to make sense of the world.
Key Moments:
(00:00) Intro: Why Gen Z voices matter right now
(03:21) A moment in the water that changed Abraham’s perspective
(08:27) Martina's path from engineering to ocean advocacy
(12:01) Building a small, ethical ocean recreation business
(16:22) The transformative power of manta ray experiences
(20:46) Speaking up, confrontation, and cultural differences
(24:31) Finding his voice through advocacy and debate
(29:23) What competitive debate actually teaches you
(35:56) Connecting values to policy and civic action
(43:46) Spotting misinformation and building a “BS radar”
(49:29) From manta ray magic to meaningful change
Episode page and resources:
https://oceanwingspodcast.com/episode/abraham-gen-z
Get Martina’s emails: oceanwingspodcast.com/newsletter
More about manta rays on https://mantarayadvocates.com/
Follow us on YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky