Black Nerds Matter: Anisa Sellers

Posted on October 18, 2024 • by Deidric Davis

Black Nerds Matter Podcast – Episode 4: Anisa Sellers
In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome our first remote guest, Anisa Sellers! Anisa is an educator at the Virginia Aquarium, a Virginia State University (VSU) graduate, and an alumna of The Diversity Project. She shares her inspiring journey into marine science, discussing the role her family played in supporting her along the way. We also dive into how being neurodivergent shaped her experiences both in academic and field settings, as well as her everyday life.
Anisa talks about what drew her to K-12 education, highlighting the important role teachers played in her development. Lastly, she shares valuable advice for anyone pursuing a career in STEM or considering taking a gap year from science.
Tune in for an enlightening and heartfelt conversation, and don’t forget to check us out on Instagram @blacknerdsmatter for exclusive merch, video clips, and opportunities to share your own story. After all, someone has to tell your story—why not you?

You may also like

Hear from 2024 Hillsborough School Board candidates in District 7 (countywide)

Hear from Hillsborough School Board District 7 incumbent Lynn Gray...

Discover Musical Treasures: WMNF CD & LP Music Sale – March 23rd!

WMNF, Tampa’s vibrant Community Radio Station, boasts a rich history...

The Gabber says a candidate’s campaign manager mentioned a payment for positive coverage

Tom Bixler's campaign manager did not technically attempt to bribe...

How to have a safe time at the beach this spring break

coastal communities are promoting beach safety guidelines to ensure beachgoers...

A controversial Florida bill to ban sleeping in public is sent to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis

The Florida bill would bar cities and counties from allowing...

Florida settles a lawsuit over its “Don’t Say Gay” law

The state of Florida has over its "Don't Say Gay"...

Here are ten big issues from the 2024 Florida Legislative Session

The 2024 legislative session ended Friday. Here are snapshots of...

When the Florida-run Hurricane Ian fund swelled, DeSantis allies got fast money but others were forced to wait

After Hurricane Ian, Florida handed out millions of dollars in...

Proposed Chicago-Florida passenger train route bypasses Tampa

A proposed passenger train route from Chicago to Miami would...

Downtown Tampa interchange improvements set for 2027 completion

Construction of the often-congested I-275 to I-4 interchange is expected...

Florida Senate passes a revamped bill to keep kids under 16 from having some social media accounts

“Federal courts have halted enforcement of similar laws in Ohio...

Florida bill targeting trans driver’s license identification stalls in Senate, passes House

A bill forcing transgender people to identify their sex assigned...

The Florida Senate will take up a revised bill to limit access to social media by kids

A Florida Senate procedural move will let lawmakers next week...

Proposal threatening campaign funding passes state Senate

Florida voters may soon be able to decide whether to...

U.S. Representative calls for Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s resignation amidst measles outbreak

As a measles outbreak spreads, Florida's Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo...

AAUP sanctions New College of Florida after politically motivated “egregious and extensive violations”

AAUP, a major American academic association made up of faculty...

Gov. DeSantis sends more Florida Highway Patrol and National Guardsmen to southern border

Governor Ron DeSantis announced Florida Highway Patrol and National Guardsman...

The Florida Legislature passes a bill banning children 15 and under from having some social media accounts

The Florida bill would require platforms to use age verification...

The Florida Senate is about to pass a bill to prevent kids from creating some social media accounts

The Florida Senate is ready to pass a high-profile bill...

The Florida Legislature could provide reprieves from a controversial 2023 law that requires local elected officials to disclose information about their personal finances.

A bill would exempt mayors and members of local governing...

A Florida Panhandle sheriff’s deputy fired shots toward a handcuffed suspect after mistaking an acorn landing for gunfire

The incident was triggered not by an actual threat, but...

Tampa flight attendants join countrywide protest for better wages

On Tuesday, flight attendants protested at airports across the country...

Listen to the oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court over Amendment 4 on abortion rights

The Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments about proposed constitutional...

For rent sign / renters / rental vouchers housing vouchers housing

New “State of the Region” report highlights Tampa Bay’s affordability crisis

University of South Florida researchers lifted the veil on a...

Florida Senators walk out after racist comments in support of monument bill

Public comment on a Florida bill to preserve monuments spiraled...

Florida Supreme Court hears abortion rights ballot measure

Wednesday, the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments on whether or...

Aerial photo of downtown Tallahassee, Florida and the State Capitol

Learn more about these ten big issues to watch halfway through the Florida Legislative session

Florida’s annual 60-day legislative session reached its halfway point Wednesday....

Florida observes Severe Weather Awareness Week

Severe Weather Awareness Week draws attention to weather hazards with...

A Florida Senate panel advances a bill to prohibit kids under the age of 16 from having social media accounts — despite First Amendment warnings

Florida senators Monday evening moved forward with a proposal to...

Medicaid expansion could be on the 2026 ballot in Florida

Listen: There’s an effort going on now to place Medicaid...

Ron DeSantis supports a bill preventing the removal of Confederate monuments and other memorials in Florida

DeSantis said he is “100 percent against removing monuments” and...

Orlando Sentinel reporters plan a walk-out

Orlando Sentinel reporters are staging a walk-out this morning. The...

Does the Florida Legislature want to give Gov. Ron DeSantis his own army?

Independent reporter Jason Garcia is tracking the impact Gov. Ron...

Hillsborough County's suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren

Suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren speaks out on DeSantis petition

DeSantis asked a federal court for a rehearing on a...

The Florida Senate is poised to take up a bill to prevent children under 16 from having social media accounts after it was passed by the House

Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo backs a proposal that seeks...

The full Florida House will consider a bill to loosen restrictions on how many hours some teens can work

The Florida House will take up a controversial proposal to...

"Don't Tread On Me" and "Ron DeSantis is a Musty Bitch" signs

What we saw and heard at the St. Petersburg rally to commemorate the anniversary of Roe v. Wade

More than 150 supporters of abortion rights lined the four...

New House bill would make it harder for local governments to raise taxes

A new bill advanced in the State House today making...

Florida House panel approves term limit for county commissioners

A Florida House panel voted unanimously in favor of a...

Fees proposed for excessive challenges to school books in Florida

A Florida bill that could lead to fees for people...

“It’s repulsive” — State House advances bill to limit use of Pride flags

A bill advanced that would put restrictions on LGBTQ, Black...

Florida Education Association speaks out about state education issues and a bill that would reduce child labor protections

The Florida Legislature is in session and Tuesday Cafe looks...

Donald Trump trounces Ron DeSantis and the others in Iowa

Former President Donald Trump dominated the Iowa Republican presidential caucuses...

State House reps demand answers on delayed school vouchers

Many Florida families still have not received private school vouchers...

An appeals court vacates a judge’s decision that okayed Ron DeSantis’s suspension of Andrew Warren

An appeals court directed a judge to look again at...

A Florida Senate committee advances a bill to allow people to kill bears on their property

Opponents called instead for better-managing trash in rural counties where...

These bills in the 2024 legislature are an “escalation” of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, according to Equality Florida

Several bills filed in the Florida Legislature for the 2024...

Dangerous thunderstorms to impact Florida Monday night and Tuesday

The primary hazard from these squall-line thunderstorms will be straight-line...

Andrew Warren won’t run for Hillsborough State Attorney in 2024

State Attorney Susan Lopez, who was appointed by Ron DeSantis...

Proposed Florida constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights meets its signature requirements

The largest number of valid signatures, 54,277, had been collected...

Activists plan march at Palmetto police department over alleged brutality leading to death

Activist groups are planning a press conference and march at...

Almost 1 million Florida voters declared inactive after law purging voter lists

Nearly 1 million registered voters have been dropped from Florida’s...

Florida Supreme Court arguments are set for Feb. 7 on the proposed abortion rights constitutional amendment

The Florida Supreme Court will decide whether to approve the...

Ten big issues the Florida Legislature will consider during its 2024 session

Florida lawmakers will start the annual 60-day legislative session on...

Police have recovered a sex video with Sarasota School Board member Bridget Ziegler, sources say

A sex video involving Sarasota School Board member Bridget Ziegler and...

Duke Energy completes its first floating solar project in Florida

Duke Energy has completed a new floating solar panel project....

Hernando County’s new rapid DNA technology sparks concerns of accuracy, possible injustice

Listen: Hernando County is the first of about a dozen...

Florida’s Live Local Act spurs new affordable housing in East Hillsborough

A new affordable housing project under Florida’s new “Live Local”...

Tampa Bay area cold weather shelters open tonight

Hillsborough County’s cold weather shelters program will be activated tonight, Monday, Dec....

Proposed bill targets environmental groups with legal fees for challenging state permits

Listen: A bill, filed in both the state senate and...

Residents demand more affordable housing as Tampa Bay Rays and Hines Development seek public input on Gas Plant District

Residents gathered at the Coliseum to voice their excitement, and...

Bridget Ziegler asked to resign Sarasota School Board; refuses to leave

All other members of the Sarasota County School Board voted...

Florida Right to Clean Water amendment will have to wait until 2026; plus environmentalists oppose the Bellmar development in Florida panther habitat

Organizers plan to get the Right to Clean Water amendment...

Environmental group responds after Florida turns down $320 million in federal funding to reduce tailpipe pollution

The Florida Department of Transportation turned down $320 million in...

House Reps propose bill sidestepping DeSantis’s $350 million federal funds veto

In June, Governor Ron DeSantis rejected around $350 million in...

How a tiny non-profit startup broke the year’s biggest Florida politics story

Barbara Petersen, executive director of the Florida Center for Government...

bus rapid transit BRT St. Petersburg, Florida

The Pinellas Legislative Delegation supports a revamp of PSTA; what would it mean for local transit?

A Republican Florida representative has proposed a bill that would...

Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, husband of Moms For Liberty cofounder, accused of sexual battery by alleged menage a trois lover

Christian Ziegler, Florida’s GOP chairman and husband of Sarasota County...

A decade after Rick Scott refused $1.25 billion from feds, a Florida lawmaker proposes $50 million for private passenger rail between Tampa and Orlando

Florida lawmakers are championing hundreds of projects including $50 million...

Here comes the Sun: Talking pro women’s soccer in Tampa Bay

The new professional women’s soccer team has a name -...

Responding to Food Insecurity in Florida with Gulf Coast JFCS

It’s Thanksgiving time and our thoughts turn to food and...

Get answers about open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace

Information how navigators can help you choose the Obamacare plan...

Backers say the Florida Supreme Court should OK an abortion rights initiative

Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment fired back at Florida's...

Riverview call center workers stage picket, demanding $25/hour, better healthcare, and more

Listen: On Thursday, call center workers at Maximus, the federal...

Non-binary Florida teacher falls victim to “Don’t Say Gay” expansion law, fired for using ‘Mx.’ title

A physics teacher at Florida Virtual School was fired last...

Aya Batrawy reports during Israel-Hamas war

NPR’s Aya Batrawy on what she has seen and heard in the Israel-Hamas war

NPR international correspondent Aya Batrawy reported from Israel on the...

Controversial Florida judicial circuit merger faces committee resistance

A committee appointed by the Florida Supreme Court unanimously recommended...

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, in a white suit, with a microphone in her right hand.

Anna Paulina Luna talks Israel, impeachment and Pinellas beach restoration

St. Pete’s representative in the U.S. House, Anna Paulina Luna,...

A surprising statistic sparks concern for the endangered Florida panther

The Florida Panther is our state’s official animal and one...

New survey reveals most Americans support military aid to Israel, humanitarian aid to Palestinians

Most Americans support providing military aid to Israel but oppose...

What we know about the latest possible tear in a Mosaic gypstack liner at its New Wales plant in Florida

There’s a possible leak of water at a Polk County...

Florida leads nation in number of cost-burdened renters

A new study shows Florida has one the highest rates...

Sarasota residents get a chance to speak to their legislators ahead of legislative session

The legislative session starts in 2024, and concerned Sarasota citizens...

New initiative sends free banned books to Floridians

Florida is one of the top states in the nation...

Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) calls the special legislative session on Iran “performance”

On WMNF’s Tuesday Café, State Representative Anna Eskamani called the...

New College of Florida trustees approve $1.3 million/year contract for controversial president Richard Corcoran

New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran is set to...

Tampa woman hopes the U.S. will do more to find out if her kids in Gaza are safe

A Tampa non-profit is demanding the government do more to...

Pinellas County emergency beach restoration projected to cost over $20 million

The county’s new emergency beach restoration project is projected to...

A law professor & scientist ask for a halt to a dredging project that could harm Puerto Rico coral reefs

Coral reefs in Puerto Rico may be threatened by a...

Andrew Warren calls judicial consolidation “a naked power grab by Tallahassee and the Republican leadership”

Andrew Warren calls a plan to merge court circuits "a...

East Tampa doctor transforms former nightclub into wellness center

On Monday, a new wellness hub opened in the site...

Myakka Ranch in Manatee County one step closer to state protection

Myakka Ranch in Manatee County is one step closer to...

Sarasota woman’s stepson missing after Hamas attack on Israel

One Sarasota woman is searching for her stepson, who is...

Florida Department of Children & Families addresses turbulent Medicaid redetermination process, excessive call wait times

A state Senate committee met to discuss Florida' s Medicaid...

State legislators sound alarm on Floridians losing Medicaid coverage

Half of Floridians losing Medicaid coverage are 20 years or...

Both sides speak out after viral arrest of Jacksonville man

On Friday, a black man was brutally beaten by officers...

Florida Supreme Court hears arguments on protest law amid allegations of targeting Black activists

The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments in a challenge to...

Florida Supreme Court will decide the future of abortion access in the state

Amy Weintraub with Progress Florida talks about the Florida Supreme...

New College of Florida’s business plan is “not financially viable” according to a UF business school professor

UF business faculty: A business plan outlining sweeping changes at...

Tropical Heatwave Unclaimed Prizes ~ 5/4/24

Unclaimed Chance Drawing Prizes from Tropical Heatwave ~ 5/4/24 What...

Open carry bill draws backlash

Listen: A controversial bill filed for the upcoming legislative session...

Mouth Harps and Mangroves – Leon Majcen

Leon Majcen, Tampa home-town hero who now resides in Nashville...

The Scoop: Fri. Dec 20th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF

New social media law goes into effect Jan. 1 A...

SOTD 12/20/24: Lifeline by Hope Darling

The WMNF Song of the Day for December 20th, 2024...

88.5FM

Apple & Android App

wmnf.org

Smart Speaker

Donate

Planned Giving

Employer Gift Matching

Black Nerds Matter: Anisa Sellers

Leave a Reply

Ways to listen

Ways to support