Meliza Lopez was born and raised in Northern Nicaragua where she spent much of her life living near the ocean without ever truly knowing the waves. Growing up, a lack of surfing influence in her family and friends, and the traditional gender roles in her culture meant that, especially as a girl, the opportunity to get in the water was never really there.

Her perspective shifted at 17 when she moved to a surf town to work as a waitress. Every morning, she watched travelers return from the surf with a contagious energy and huge smiles. Although she initially viewed surfing as a “crazy” or dangerous sport, she became curious. She found herself wanting to understand exactly what was causing that happiness she saw in the clients who showed up at the restaurant every day.

At 19, someone finally offered to teach her. The moment she caught her first wave, everything clicked—she finally understood why those travelers were so happy after they surf sessions. From that day on, she committed herself to the ocean, eager to learn and spend every possible moment in the water.

Today, Meliza is a dedicated surf instructor driven by a desire to pay it forward and share the surf stoke with others. She now believes the ocean is not something to fear, but a place to find joy and connect with other surfers that feel like family.