When four Black female scientists in the Sarasota-Manatee area teamed up to create Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), they understood the positive impact they'd be making on the Black community. Children of color who attend Title 1 schools or have little access to the ocean are less likely to be in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs.

MISS co-founder, president and CEO Jasmin Graham, a biologist and the project coordinator for Mote's MarSci LACE program, also understands the systemic issues that keep children of color from the scientific field, especially marine biology.

"There are particular issues and traumas surrounding water for the Black community," Graham explains. "There are societal factors that keep Black people from being outdoors and around water, including the history of segregated schools, standardized testing and college entrance biases and financial constraints."

Minorities in Shark Sciences is an opportunity for kids of color to explore the ocean, maybe even for the first time. The organization meets at Manatee County parks like Robinson Preserve and Emerson Point Preserve for its free programs, which include Science by the Sea, which allows participants to learn about their local watershed, build remotely operated Vehicles (ROVs) and get up close to some aquatic animals; a spring camp in Sarasota; and sleepaway summer camp on Cedar Key. The idea is to invite groups typically excluded from STEM programs, such as LGBTQ+ youth, racial/ethnic minorities and kids from under-served communities.

Graham says Science by the Sea also helps increase environmental stewardship for the next generation. Kids are more likely to help preserve the environment if they know more about it.

"This is a chance for kids to come out and learn about our local ecosystem and marine critters hands-on," she says. "Not only are we increasing science literacy, but we also having fun wading in the water, going out onto boats and exploring the coastlines.

Minorities in Shark Sciences is also particularly focused on the representation of intelligent Black females in science.

"Kids always tell me they've never seen a Black scientist before, let alone someone that looks like them," says Graham. "The girls will ask me what I do with my hair when I go in the water, because their moms tell them not to get their hair wet. They ask if it's safe to swim in the ocean. It's great to be that representation for them."

Plus, she says, "Lots of parents see women of color running [the program] and feel comfortable because we know, understand and live in the same space. Girls are [often] cast aside in programs like this in male-dominated fields. Moms like that their daughters can be taught to have a voice and be leaders."

Graham wants to help up-and-coming women and minorities in STEM, too. Minorities in Shark Sciences also offers internships, workshops and an annual research summit. Additionally, its Diversifying Ocean Sciences program offers the chance for BIPOC, gender-minority people to hone their ocean science skills, build their network and receive mentorship from the MISS team and a cohort of scientists from around the country. 

Want more? In addition to her work at MISS, Graham's memoir, Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist, will be released on July 16, 2024, by Pantheon, an imprint of Penguin Random House.  Graham is also the host of PBS' Sharks Unknown, a digital series in which she travels to shark hotspots in North America to interview fellow scientists and researchers and and investigate little-known shark species. You can watch the entire series here.