Imani Black

Background

About Imani Black

My overall career goal is to continue my personal aquaculture career within the commercial and research sectors while combining the global work and growth of my nonprofit Minorities In Aquaculture. In the past 7 years, I've become an experienced specialist operating in various leadership positions in the shellfish aquaculture industry working for some of the top oyster hatcheries, nurseries and farms in Virginia and Maryland. During my career, I've gained desired technical aquaculture knowledge, hands-on skills, boating/mechanical experience and other useful credentials that will assist me to be an asset to not only for future employment but the aquaculture industry locally and globally. Within those skills, I'm also recognized as one of the few African Americans male or female that are actively involved in this space nationwide. In 2020, I founded an organization called Minorities In Aquaculture (MIA), a 501(c)3 that strives to provide various aspects of support and useful aquaculture education to the underrepresented demographics (women, women of color, men of color, LGBTQ+, etc) that have little involvement, representation, advocacy and impactful resources in aquaculture and sustainable seafood industry that would enhance their engagement and career development locally and globally. Through our active minority approaches, our engagement is centered around combing ecological aspects with social, cultural and historic lenses which is a unique strategy in diversity, equality and inclusion thus far. MIA's ultimate goal is to become a resources hub for our targeted demographics and non-BIPOC industry experts/professionals that strive to diverse the workforce and engagement in aquaculture moving forward to ensure a better future for aquaculture. Currently, I am operating MIA full time and pursuing my Master's degree at University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science at Horn Point Laboratory in the Marine, Estuarine, Environmental Science (MEES) program. Due to my passion within fisheries and my recent interest in the social and cultural aspects of underrepresented demographics in the industry as well, my research is focused on the historic African American involvement in Chesapeake Bay commercial fisheries as a whole. It is my goal to not only highlight the accomplishments of this once prominent legacy that has not rapidly depleted over the last few decades, but to provide a open conversation of the future active minority engagement in fisheries that is needed to finally diversify and support minorities in this field.