Researching Florida Everglades, educating public has been man’s mission since arriving from Jamaica

Jordon King was born and raised in Jamaica, where he spent much of his childhood outdoors with his family.

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“We weren’t internet kids,” King said.

Instead, nature pulled him in

“My love just grew from there and continued over the years,” he said.

That curiosity eventually led King to South Florida, where the Everglades has become both his laboratory and his classroom.

At Everglades National Park, King studies the vast ecosystem and pays close attention to even its smallest creatures.

King holds a master’s degree in environmental biology from Florida International University and has conducted extensive research on soil across the Everglades.

The ecosystem he studies is critical to South Florida. The Everglades helps provide drinking water and serves as a natural buffer that helps protect communities from flooding, he said.

But before King can explain the science, he sometimes finds himself having to break down stereotypes.

“A lot of people see me at first, and they think I’m a rapper,” King said. “When I tell them I’m a scientist, they don’t believe me because of my appearance.”

And just like his work, King’s style stands out. He often wears grills in his mouth.

“I wanted it to symbolize my research journey in marine biology and also the Everglades,” King said while pointing to the different colors and shapes on the grills in his mouth.

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His scientific journey extends well beyond the park.

On social media, King goes by “Kidflamess,” where he combines education and entertainment to teach hundreds of thousands of followers about the natural world.

During a recent trip to the Everglades, a park ranger stopped to congratulate King on earning his master’s degree and thank him for his work educating the public.

“Thank you for putting people on,” the ranger told him. “You’re doing a lot to help people in the community connect with the ecosystem.”

John Kominoski, one of King’s professors at Florida International University, has watched that passion firsthand.

“He genuinely cares that people understand and get excited about what he’s excited about,” Kominoski said.

Kominoski said King is also unafraid to approach his work with curiosity and enthusiasm.

“He’s unafraid. Nothing scares him. He approaches things with his whole heart,” Kominoski said.

For King, that passion comes back to the Everglades itself.

“I love how peaceful it is, how much diversity there is in nature,” he said. “There’s so much to see and learn about the system.”

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