A camera can do more than capture a beautiful landscape. In the hands of Filipino photographer Gab Mejia, it can also turn the world’s uncomfortable truths into images difficult to ignore.
The 29-year-old photographer, multidisciplinary artist and environmental engineer has become the first Filipino named a Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award honoree, earning international recognition for using visual storytelling to confront social and ecological crises.
Mejia will receive the Spirituality award, one of six distinctions presented to young changemakers whose work reflects the principles of the late boxing champion. The 2026 ceremony was held on November 7 at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
His creative toolkit goes well beyond the camera. Combining photography, moving images and ecological design, Mejia approaches art as both an exercise in observation and a means of engaging with problems that often get lost in the noise of everyday life.
His work has reached audiences through major international platforms, including National Geographic, Vogue and the BBC, according to the Ali Center.
The recognition also offers a reminder that Filipino creative talent can compete on an international stage without having to leave local realities behind. For Mejia, visual storytelling is not simply about making compelling images. It is about making people look, and perhaps think, a little longer.
He joins five other youth honorees whose work tackles disability access, responsible artificial intelligence, sustainable packaging, coastal restoration and refugee mental health.
Established in 2013, the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards carry forward the legacy of the boxing icon, whose influence extended well beyond the ring. The youth awards recognize individuals aged 30 and below who embody his six core principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect and Spirituality.
The annual ceremony also raises funds for the Ali Center’s educational programs, community activities, partnerships and museum exhibitions.
The honor adds another international milestone to Mejia’s growing body of work. And while a photograph may last only a moment in the viewfinder, its message can travel considerably farther.
