Press: In the News

Last week, I heard an intriguing three-minute interview on NPR with Amara Evering, reporter for the WLRN Public Radio station from south Florida. She was speaking with a group of divers in the Florida Keys, including genealogist, Shellie Baxter, founder and CEO of Our Genetic Legacy, a 501(c) (3) organization that has helped hundreds of Black and indigenous people trace their roots. The commitment and ingenuity of this organization is profound and can be seen at ourgeneticlegacy.org (https://www.ourgeneticlegacy.org/).

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
Now we have a story about divers in the Florida Keys chasing sunken history. It's a past that's been hidden beneath the waves for nearly 200 years. Amara Evering of member station WLRN reports.

(SOUNDBITE OF WAVES LAPPING)

AMARA EVERING, BYLINE: Shellie Baxter waits on a dock for a boat that will take her on another dive in the Florida Keys. The genealogist has spent most of her time helping Black and Indigenous people trace their ancestral roots through her organization, Our Genetic Legacy. But now her work is taking her out to sea.

With a measuring tape and waterproof notepad in hand, Shellie Baxter swims around a shipwreck embedded into the ocean’s floor in the Florida Keys. The water is warmer than the San Diego shores she’s used to, but this is still her most challenging dive yet – she is learning how to document slave shipwrecks.

As a genealogist, Baxter has helped over 150 people trace their ancestral roots through her organization Our Genetic Legacy, a nonprofit committed to uncovering the hidden histories of Black and Indigenous people.

With a measuring tape and waterproof notepad in hand, Shellie Baxter swims around a shipwreck embedded into the ocean’s floor in the Florida Keys. The water is warmer than the San Diego shores she’s used to, but this is still her most challenging dive yet – she is learning how to document slave shipwrecks.

In this episode of the Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast, we are joined by Shellie Baxter, CEO and founder of Our Genetic Legacy, a nonprofit organization focused on publishing histories of Afro-indigenous populations beyond enslavement and trauma through workforce development and youth empowerment. Shellie shares her journey from being a stay-at-home mom to founding a nonprofit that uses drones and genetic genealogy to map historical sites, identify unmarked graves, as well as the creation of their virtual museum. She also discusses how the nonprofit integrates drone technology into educational programs for underrepresented youth, and her recent expansion into underwater archaeology. Listen in to learn about the impactful work Our Genetic Legacy is doing in preserving cultural history and empowering youth through advanced technology.

How technology, storytelling, and heritage preservation are amplifying underrepresented voices!

That's what you'll learn from this conversation by Women and Drones podcaster Desi Ekstein On The Go Video - Drone Diva Desi and Shellie Baxter founder of Our Genetic Legacy (OGL).

Learn how Shellie's work is helping communities preserve cultural identity, highlight overlooked narratives, and ensure diverse stories are recognized for generations to come.

Shellie Baxter, founder of Our Genetic Legacy, is an inspiring advocate for understanding history through the lens of personal and ancestral stories. Born and raised in San Diego, Shellie has always had a strong sense of family, which led her to embark on a life-changing journey into genealogy

Have you ever felt the absence of stories that deserve to be heard? In this episode, we welcome Shellie Baxter, the CEO of Our Genetic Legacy, who is on a mission to illuminate BIPOC heritage using the power of genomics, drones, and advanced technology.

Have you ever felt the absence of stories that deserve to be heard? In this episode, we welcome Shellie Baxter, the CEO of Our Genetic Legacy, who is on a mission to illuminate BIPOC heritage using the power of genomics, drones, and advanced technology.

A local program that teaches young girls about drone technology has gone global.

Dealing with the challenges of today requires problem-solvers who bring different perspectives and are willing to take risks, according to Our Genetic Legacy CEO Shellie Baxter. Ashley find out how the young women involved in the program are using drones to unlock history and prepare for a better tomorrow.

Our genetic legacy is mentoring young BIPOC women on how to use technology to connect to their Black culture.

In 2018, after spending 20 years raising her daughters as a stay-at-home mom, Shellie Baxter created Our Genetic Legacy (OGL), a nonprofit educational publishing house focusing on amplifying the voices and stories of people of color. Shellie used our TechHire program to provide paid work experiences for young female data analysts and drone pilots. Below, Shellie tells us how she turned her passion for story telling into a trailblazing organization.

Meet the young women using state-of-the-art aerial technology in an effort to document San Diego’s Forgotten BIPOC History

On February 17, 2023 , Our Genetic Legacy took a trip to Julian, CA to learn about the history of the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) pioneers of the county. Our Genetic Legacy is a non-profit organization led by the founder and CEO. Her organization has a program for young women, who she has coined as “Herstorians.”

Shellie Frances Baxter is a Social Impact Scientist. She is the founding CEO of Our Genetic Legacy. Through her organization, she captures and shares the personal and familial stories of BIPOC legacies to create a more robust and accurate historical record to educate generations to come. She is leading the charge to change the way history is taught.

The non-profit, Our Genetic Legacy, teaches young girls of ethnic minorities how to use drones to discover the history of people of color.

We interviewed Shellie Baxter, the founder of Our Genetic Legacy, and discussed the use of LiDAR technology by SPH Engineering to uncover and share the history of underrepresented communities. Her year-long program for girls focuses on recovering the history of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

Drones are being used for more than just jobsite capture. Organizations like Our Genetic Legacy are also using them to empower BIPOC female innovators in preserving their collective history.

Meet Shellie Baxter, Founding CEO Our Genetic Legacy and learn about what inspired her to pursue a STEM career, her STEM pathway and current work, and advice for young women and girls to pursue their passions.