Restoring our oceans, preserving Black heritage

“If I did nothing but scrub algae and fire coral off of PVC trees for the rest of my life, it would not be a wasted experience.”

Kramer on a boat off the coast of Florida with the Diving With a Purpose team · Kramer Wimberley

“Since our trafficking to the Americas, people of African descent have been separated from our connection to the ocean,” he explains. “Before that, many of us were seafarers, but that knowledge has been hidden from us. We are unaware that there were fishing communities all along the coastal waters of the continent. Unfortunately, it is not common knowledge that we were sailors also.”

The Diving With a Purpose team locates a historic ship's anchor of the coast of Florida while filming for “Enslaved” · AP Slave Ships Productions / Cornelia Street’s Ships

Samuel L. Jackson, third from left, appears in the documentary series “Enslaved” with divers associated with the group Diving With a Purpose. Left to right: Ken Stewart, Jay Haigler, Jackson, Chris Searles, Kinga Philipps, Kramer Wimberley & Josh Williams · AP Slave Ships Productions / Cornelia Street’s Ships

Alannah Vellacott and Kramer Wimberley embrace aboard a Diving With A Purpose expedition for the filming of “Enslaved” · AP Slave Ships Productions / Cornelia Street’s Ships

The Diving With A Purpose team scouts locations for a sunken slave ship in Suriname · AP Slave Ships Productions / Cornelia Street’s Ships

Contributors

Kristy Drutman

Founder of Brown Girl Green

Kristy Drutman is a Filipina environmental media creator and the founder of Brown Girl Green, a media platform exploring the intersections between media, diversity, and environmentalism. As a sustainability communications expert, Kristy has spoken in front of thousands and facilitated workshops centered on environmental media and storytelling in cities across the United States. She has also worked with youth from around the world to create collaborative, intersectional online media with the goal of creating conscious, culturally relevant content to engage audiences about proactive solutions to the climate crisis.

Meet Black ocean leaders

Contributors

Meet Black ocean leaders

Reconnecting Afro-Caribbean people with marine conservation

Keeping Bermudian divers diving

Advocating for diversity and inclusion in the surfing community

Bringing Caribbean folklore to young readers