Mariana Urías

Communications Officer | Keep Loreto Magical

Mariana Urías is an environmental advocate and community leader whose enthusiasm for the outdoors — and for birds in particular — is as boundless as her love for Loreto. Born in Mexico City and raised between the mountains of Valle de Bravo and the coast of Loreto, Mariana’s connection to the environment began early. As a child, she joined forest fire brigades with her relatives, sparking a lifelong respect for the land and a deep belief in shared responsibility. Her guiding philosophy remains simple and powerful: Take no more from nature than you’re willing to restore.

By the age of 15, Mariana was already apprenticing as a history and naturalist guide in Loreto. Over the next 16 years, she built a career in eco-tourism and hospitality, developing an intimate knowledge of Baja’s desert and sea — and a passion for protecting both.

In 2012, she shifted her focus to community work, championing the cultural heritage of the Sierra cowboys and their sustainable traditions. Her grassroots spirit led to the creation of Loreto’s first Local Artisan & Producer Market, which she hosted in her own garden before it grew into a city-backed program still thriving today.

As a project manager with Raíces Vivas A.C., Mariana helped design and fund initiatives that strengthened rural livelihoods, supported women’s cooperatives, and expanded environmental education in San Javier.

She also co-founded community events that have since become Loreto institutions — including the Blue Whale Festival, Bird & Wetlands Festival, and Farm-to-Table gatherings that celebrate Baja’s natural and cultural richness.

Her advocacy extended to international forums as well, where she spoke on behalf of marine life and whale conservation from Mexico to New Zealand and Washington State.

Beyond her nonprofit work, Mariana’s creativity flows through everything she does — from launching Verde Mar Studio, her sustainable design firm, to opening Black Bird, a restaurant and cultural hub that blends food, art, and nature.

Today, as Communications Officer at Keep Loreto Magical, Mariana continues to weave community and conservation together, sharing stories and actions that inspire people to care for the place they call home.