English alumna Annamarie Simoldoni boosts environmental and conservation issues, specifically sea turtles, into the spotlight

By Emily Valmana

Sea turtle research may not be the first activity that comes to mind when thinking about what a graduate with an English degree may be up to. For Annamarie Simoldoni, however, she is proving that the scope of what can be done should not be constrained to a stereotype.

Simoldoni graduated from Florida State University in 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in English-Editing, Writing, and Media. She is currently a freelance journalist for Florida Student News Watch, which FSU English alumna and local journalist CD Davidson-Hiers founded in 2020. According to its website, “Florida Student News Watch is committed to promoting the development of young writers as environmentally conscious journalists and researchers…and is committed to emboldening younger writers to value their work and respect the rigor of journalistic efforts, including fact-checking, accountability and transparency.”

Working for News Watch, Simoldoni is able to delve into myriad story ideas and, while doing so, explore her passions—one of which is sea turtles. Her July 14, 2023, story for the publication is centered on sea turtles, and she aims to initiate a conversation on not just the massive importance sea turtles have within the ecosystem but also how they are of aid to humans and have direct impact on our lives. Her interest in the subject stems from the catastrophic damage that Hurricane Ian caused in Southwest Florida, specifically Naples. Simoldoni lost her childhood home during the hurricane.

Simoldoni also debunks the stereotypes associated with the social movements surrounding sea turtles that have spurred much media coverage. One of these movements include the infamous “Save the turtles” movement. With her story, Simoldoni hopes to convey that there is much more to the movement than just banning plastic straws or using “#save the turtles” as a trendy catchphrase on social media to feign activism.

With that perspective in mind, she also aims to spark a discussion on performative environmentalism and how this phenomenon is deeply embedded into our society and infrastructure, especially regarding environmentalism, particularly marine wildlife.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, including where you grew up and what inspired you to attend FSU for your undergraduate studies?

I grew up in Naples, Florida, and attended a very small private high school. When it came time to apply to college, I knew I was ready for a change, and when I toured FSU, I fell in love with it.

Could you tell us about your academic experiences in the English department, specifically on the editing, writing, and media track?

I had such an amazing experience with FSU’s English department! I may have just gotten lucky, but truly, every professor I was able to learn from was extremely passionate about the classes they taught, and I always felt free to ask questions about class material and assignments in general. I really think that this openness and encouragement allowed me to gain a new love for literature and for writing. The major’s editing, writing, and media track was perfect for me in the sense that it forced me to seek out internship opportunities and gain experience working in the literary world. During my senior fall semester, I had the opportunity to work with The Southeast Review, which gave me insight into the publishing world and allowed me a behind-the-scenes look into the process publications go through when selecting and editing pieces. Now as a freelance journalist, I feel that this experience prepared me for the inevitable rejection that comes with submitting.

What was your main goal with your Florida Student News Watch article? What is the story you are trying to tell regarding sea turtles? Tell us a little more about this project.

My main goal with this article is to draw attention to sea turtles as living creatures that are essential to the health of the ecosystems that humans are a part of. I think that there is a huge disconnect between humans in nature in the sense that we like to view nature as separate from us and something that we have dominion over. Rather than viewing sea turtles as a species that needs to be protected, I want to emphasize how sea turtles protect us in the sense that their existence affects water quality and the health of mangroves and coral reefs.

I also hope that my piece explains that just as sea turtles don’t exist in a vacuum, environmental policy has repercussions and that looking into the legislation that politicians support can really help voters make decisions that best represent their desires for Florida.

Have you conducted research with sea turtles before this story assignment?

While I have not conducted research with sea turtles for this story specifically, growing up in Southwest Florida allowed me to come into contact with them on a fairly regular basis. Seeing a mother sea turtle, or at least a turtle nesting site, on a beach day during turtle nesting season is not uncommon. In my story, I center the perspective of Cheryl Zaricki (a retired marine biologist and turtle lover) and her experience watching baby sea turtles hatch. In my research, I was constantly looking to experts for their insights on sea turtles, the intricacies of Florida ecosystems, and environmental policy.

What inspired you or prompted you to write this story? Any personal anecdotes?

A combination of things inspired this story. At first, I was really interested in Florida’s mangrove ecosystem, because Hurricane Ian had recently made landfall and devastated Southwest Florida. I lost my childhood home during the hurricane, and I think I was searching for a reason why it had been so bad. Mangrove forests serve as a buffer for storms, making them much less powerful as they move inland. In recent years, however, many mangroves have been cut down to make way for coastal development. Looking back, I was using research as a weird coping mechanism. In some ways, I thought that if I could find a specific issue that could be fixed then the experience of losing everything was justified and purposeful.

When my editor and mentor CD Davidson-Hiers (founder of Florida Student News Watch) came to me with the idea for a story centering on sea turtles and Cheryl Zaricki’s contact, I shifted my focus from mangroves specifically to the health of ecosystems in general.

How would you describe performative environmentalism and how does this concept play a role in the message you are trying to convey?

Performative environmentalism is the idea of claiming that something is sustainable for the purpose of personal gain, whether that be financial, social, or political. At this point, most people are aware of the effects of climate change, and most people want to at least feel like they are doing something to work toward a better future. Unfortunately, this concern is exploited by companies as a marketing tactic.

Products like Hydro Flasks and Pura Vida bracelets come to mind as they have become staples of an internet aesthetic that requires the performance of environmentalism. It is easy to purchase these items as a signal, but by purchasing these unnecessary items, consumers are contributing to the issue of overconsumption that is in a sense responsible for climate change.

I also think it feels good to have the “moral high ground” in this situation, so it’s easy to jump on a bandwagon and implement things that may seem helpful without considering the larger picture (like if someone filled their reusable water bottle with water from plastic bottles).

Can you tell us a little bit more about the “Save the turtles” movement from early 2020 and why you are using this movement to explore performative environmentalism? Would you say that it is performative in nature?

When I started thinking about turtles, the first thing that came to mind was VSCO [a photo-editing app] girls, reusable water bottles, and the half-joke “save the turtles” movement. Social media is a performance and there is such a weird irony in looking to influencers as beacons of sustainability—their whole job is convincing viewers to purchase more things. I also found it interesting how quickly the VSCO girl aesthetic became a joke. Sea turtle conservation somehow became cringe by association and forever (at least in my memory) tied to this fleeting trend.

You mentioned that you are looking into and analyzing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ environmental policy from a similar perspective. Have you found out how his policies affect sea turtles?

Through my research, I struggled to find any clear state-wide policies when it came to turtle conservation. The lack of legislation on turtles is one example of DeSantis’ approach to environmental issues, in general. While he acknowledges the reality of climate change, he seems to be more focused on mitigating its effects (such as rebuilding after Hurricane Ian) than ensuring that the state is able to adapt and prepare for future events.

What is one thing that you want readers to take home with them from reading your story?

The main thing that I want readers to take away from my story is the importance of protecting entire ecosystems rather than just focusing on an individual aspect, by working toward a more holistically sustainable lifestyle that begins with voting for representatives who value Florida’s environment.

How could students in the English department become more informed and participate in environmental issues that affect Florida?

Students can get involved with and keep up to date with the Sunshine State Biodiversity Group, as the organization works to provide information about environmental issues and conservation projects taking place in Florida. [English Assistant Professor Ali Sperling is the organization's vice president.]

Emily Valmana is a senior who is double majoring in Editing-Writing and Media and in psychology. She graduates at the end of the Summer 2023.

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