Making the World—and the STEM Community—a More Inclusive Place
Image credits: Robo Wunderkind via Unsplash.
Juneteenth celebrates an important milestone in American history: when the Emancipation Proclamation was read to enslaved African Americans in Texas on June 19, 1865. That was two years after slavery had been legally abolished by Abraham Lincoln’s government during the American Civil War.
💡 The scars of slavery continue to impact our lives today. It would be impossible for me to summarize the growing body of research, culture, advocacy, and storytelling that is exposing this toxic legacy and how it holds back individuals, organizations, and society. Importantly, I take hope from knowing that transparency can drive action.
We are seeing that action in the STEM community, but we have a lot further to go. There has been uneven progress in recruiting Black people into the STEM pipeline—which is only step one. We also need to ensure that the STEM community is one that people want to be a part of. This is not just a problem in the USA, but around the world. Ditto for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Image credits: National Cancer Institute via Unsplash.
I’m inspired when people shine a light on the challenges and opportunities of being part of a historically underrepresented group in STEM. Here are a couple of ways that you can start to explore this issue:
Our friends over at Ad Astra Media have launched beautiful books, comic books, games, and more showcasing people of color in STEAM—all designed for kids.
There are quite a few excellent nonfiction books for kids about Black inventors, scientists, and thinkers. This list from School Library Journal has a few.
Real Life, by Brandon Taylor, is a novel about a gay, Black PhD student in a predominantly White, Midwestern graduate program. Within just a few pages, I was so shocked by the novel’s accurate capturing of “what it was like” that I put the book down to confirm that the author had, indeed, been in a biochemistry grad program.
Hidden Figures (both Margot Lee Shetterly’s book and the subsequent movie) tell the story of Black women mathematicians who were critical to America’s early space triumphs.
Image credits: Hush Naidoo Jade Photography via Unsplash.
There are no easy fixes when it comes to the legacy of slavery. I’m grateful for opportunities to play a small part in making the world—and the STEM community—a more inclusive place. Today, on Juneteenth, I invite you to grasp your own opportunities in your organization and your community. We are building the future together!
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
For a full list of topics and ways to collaborate, visit Tiffany’s Work Together webpage.
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After a 19-day voyage to Antarctica aboard The Island Sky in November 2023, Tiffany has many remarkable stories to share & a wealth of insights to catalyze a sustainable future.
You can support her ongoing journey by making a contribution through her donation page. Your support will spread positive impact around the world, empower Tiffany to protect time for impact-focused projects, and support logistical costs for pro bono events with students & nonprofits.