Aaniyah Martin

Background

About Aaniyah Martin

Aaniyah is a conservation professional with over 20 years of experience dedicated to bridging the gap between environmental protection and social justice. She is the founder of The Beach Co-op, an initiative focused on fostering communities that care for our marine environments. Her expertise lies in understanding the interconnectedness of human and more-than-human worlds, with a focus on restorative practices for natural water resources, or what is termed hydrocommons. Aaniyah’s recently completed PhD at Rhodes University explores the relationship between Black and Brown communities in post-apartheid South Africa and their access to and care for natural spaces. Her research highlights the enduring impacts of apartheid on access to coastal areas and natural resources, investigating how reparative care pedagogies can reshape the hydrocommons for these communities. The work is framed within feminist, posthumanist, and care theories, with an emphasis on relational ontologies and methodologies such as strandlooping (beach walking) and hydro-rugging (stitching and mending), adapted to a South African context. In addition to her academic work, Aaniyah is a faculty member of Homeward Bound, a global programme empowering women in STEMM to address sustainability challenges. She is also a founding fellow and part of the delivery team for the Women for the Environment in Africa leadership programme. Aaniyah’s work is driven by a deep commitment to environmental and social justice, advocating for a more inclusive, care-focused approach to conservation.