In 2022, I created Tokitae’s Reality, a mixed reality installation that shines a light on the life of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut (pronounced “Ska-lee-chel-ten-ot”), also known as Tokitae or by her performance name, Lolita—an orca who spent over five decades in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium. Developed and tested as a virtual pop-up on a beach in Treasure Island, Florida, the project allowed participants to step into a human-scaled recreation of Tokitae’s confined tank, offering an unflinching, immersive encounter with the ethical realities of cetacean captivity.

During the testing phase, more than 80 individuals walked through alpha and beta versions of the virtual tank. Each participant confronted Tokitae’s story firsthand and engaged with an integrated “click-to-call Miami Seaquarium” feature, taking direct action to advocate for her release.

Although Tokitae tragically passed away before she could return to her home waters, Tokitae’s Reality continues to spark empathy and inspire collective action for the freedom of captive cetaceans. The installation also casts a vital light on the Southern Resident Orcas—Tokitae’s family—an endangered population urgently in need of our protection to prevent their extinction.