Pati Caceres
Surfer in Pichilemu, Chile
Interviewed: March 2008
Pichilemu shares two characteristics with California – a mild climate and great surfing. Here I met Pati Caceres, a 9-year-old surfer. She lives by the rhythms of the sea. “The ocean is my friend…she gives me a special present – surfing.” Because Pati’s family could not afford classes at the local surfing school, for a long time Pati was only able to watch surfers from the shore. Today, however, she rides the wild waves with delight, thanks to the generosity of Nacho, a local teacher, who gave her a free spot in his surfing school.
Pati’s impact on Miho
Pati’s love of the ocean and her desire to give something back to the ocean inspired me to write a children’s book about the impact of climate change on the ocean and what kids can do to save it. The main character of the book is modeled after Pati. When I shared my idea with Nacho, her surfing teacher, he spoke of the great need to increase the literacy rates of Chilean youth through access to affordable children’s literature. To my delight, Nacho, who is also an amazing artist, agreed to do the illustrations for this ongoing and now collaborative project.
