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Tanisha Williams
Born
Washington, D.C.
CitizenshipAmerican
Scientific career
FieldsBotanist
Institutions
Websitenaturesplasticity.weebly.com

Tanisha Williams is a botanist and Burpee Postdoc Fellow in Botany at Bucknell University.[1] She is known for founding Black Botanists Week or #BlackBotanistsWeek.[2]

Advocacy

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In 2020, Williams founded the first Black Botanists Week. After participating in Black Birders Week, a response to the Central Park birdwatching incident of the same year, Williams decided to create a week for Black people in botany.[2] "I participated in Black Birders Week and felt a sense of joy. It was nice seeing so many Black people enjoy nature, hiking, and birding. I wanted to bring that joy and representation to the botanical fields."[2] Williams recruited a board of advisors including Beronda Montgomery and Nokwanda Makunga and as part of the first week, commemorated the late Lynika Strozier.[3][4]

After the first week, Williams partnered with the Holden Arboretum to hold a weekly lecture series called “Growing Black Roots: The Black Botanical Legacy.”[2]

Dr. Williams has spoken up about how Black scientists are perceived while conducting fieldwork, and explained her own precautions before going to work: “I’ve been quizzed by random strangers,” she said. “Now I bring my wildflower books and botanical field guides, trying to look like a scientist. It’s for other people. I wouldn’t otherwise lug these books.”[5]

Work

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In 2020, Williams spoke to the Washington Post about the effects of Climate Change on tree species and leaf colors.[6] In 2021, Williams appeared on NPR to explain how leaves change color, and opened the field of botany to anyone who loves plants.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Tanisha Williams Burpee Post-Doctoral Fellow in Botany". Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  2. ^ a b c d "Tanisha Williams: Botanist And Founder of Black Botanists Week". 2021-02-11.
  3. ^ "#BlackBotanistsWeek Meet Our Team". Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  4. ^ Glick, Molly (2021-02-21). "Inside 2020's Black Solidarity Hashtag Movement, How scientists and adventurers united online in the name of equity". Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  5. ^ Associated Press. "Black scientists call out racism in the field and counter it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  6. ^ Kat Long (October 17, 2020). "Human-driven climate change is changing the colors of fall foliage, scientists say". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  7. ^ "Micro Wave: Why Do Leaves Change Color During Fall?". NPR Short Wave. 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
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