In May 2022, I, along with a group of 12 jewelers from around the world, went on a trip organized by Fairmined to visit 3 certified alluvial mines in Peru. The purpose of this trip was to learn about the gold mining process after the Fairmined certification, and to see first hand the impact that this certification has had on the mines, its communities and the environment. This trip had an impact on me, and advocacy towards better practices in gold mining became one of my main focuses for my jewelry project. Through communication, photography, and art, my aim is to show the unconventional narrative of what true sustainability in gold production means. Gold mining is destructive and poorly regulated, and if we want to see long-lasting change, it's important to support initiatives like Fairmined, because although it's easy to believe that by not supporting new mined gold, we are supporting more sustainable practices, the truth is quite the opposite. Gold will continue to come from somewhere, so I want to advocate for gold traceability, because when we talk about sustainability, we must not forget about social impact, and many communities sustain on mining.



