Devin Malast

Mal País was a sanctuary. A place where people from all over the world came to find themselves and reconnect with family or nature. A place of mixed culture and language. And it was in this beautiful place that I realized the privilege I came from. Why was it that I had a concrete floor and air conditioning when my best friend was living on dirt floors? Why could my family afford shoes, while others could not? Why were the other kids so captivated by the Barbies my grandma had brought from California?

In my senior year of high school, I was pushed by advisors to exit my comfort zone and expand the types of events I photographed. I went to the winter formal and theater events disguised in all black with a flash pack attached to my hip, and another epiphany struck me.

All photos taken by Devin Malast. The Salton Sea, an endorheic lake with no natural outlet, has been increasing in salinity for the past decade as the water evaporates in the heat, leaving behind a kind of salt flat. Endorheic water sources help us to understand the consequences of climate change, and how animals and humans adapt. Despite the lifeless lake and sulfur smell, the 35-mile-long shoreline gives otherworldly views and photo opportunities.