SHFT + Annenberg: Chris Rainier

Chris Rainier has made it his life’s mission to document endangered cultures around the globe. He has traveled to every continent on earth in pursuit of this goal. A National Geographic Society Fellow, Chris serves as director of the NG All Roads Photography Program and a co-director of the NG Enduring Voices Project, documenting endangered languages and cultures. He is a contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler, as well as a photography correspondent for NPR. Chris has won numerous awards for his photography, including the prestigious Lowell Thomas Award, given by the Explorers Club for his work documenting culture.

In this quick clip, Chris highlights the direct correlation between environmental destruction and cultural decline. “You cannot separate the environment from the people who live there,” he says. Truth.