Imani Black
Join us for a conversation with the Founder of Minorities in Aquaculture, Imani Black, on Monday, November 7 at noon at the St. Michaels Library.
Black will cover topics including life in the commercial fishing industry, the aquaculture industry (local and global); and her role as the founder of the nonprofit Minorities in Aquaculture. Black was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Chestertown and went on to graduate as a Marine Biologist from Old Dominion University in Norfolk in 2016.
She has always had a passion for restoration and conservation since she was a young girl and found great interest in the rapidly growing shellfish aquaculture industry. She completed an aquaculture training program at Virginia Institute of Marine Science in 2016.
Since then, Black has worked on oyster farms, nurseries and hatcheries along the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland. From 2018 to 2020, she was the Assistant Hatchery Manager for Hoopers Island Oyster Company, having the opportunity to work in all aspects of shellfish grow out.
Through her love for her career, Black founded Minorities in Aquaculture, a nonprofit organization that strives to empower and support women of color in the aquaculture industry. Its mission is to educate women about the traditional watermen legacy and heritage in coastal communities while providing opportunities such as paid internship, technical skills training, and career development resources in the new wave of commercial fisheries.
In addition to developing the nonprofit, Black is also pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science researching the historical minority engagement in commercial fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay. The Lunch & Learn Speakers series is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, coffee and dessert are provided.
For more information, visit www.tcfl.org or call 410-745-5877.
About Talbot County Free Library
It is the mission of the Talbot County Free Library to enrich and renew the lives of the people it serves. There are two locations: The main library in Easton is located at 100 W. Dover St., and the St. Michael branch is at 106 Fremont St. The Maryland Room in the Easton branch holds a voluminous collection of genealogical resources and historical documents. Services at both locations include the circulation of books, DVDs, digital devices, free Wi-Fi, public computers, exhibits, and programs for both children and adults. Many of the Talbot County Free Library’s programs are made possible by the generous support of the local community. For more information, please visit www.tcfl.org. Be sure to like the library on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @Talbotcountyfreelibrary.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.