Empowering Black Girls in STEM: Boosting Self-Confidence
From the classroom to the cosmos, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields shape our world and push the boundaries of human achievement. But even as our society becomes increasingly tech-oriented, there remains a glaring underrepresentation of Black women in these influential sectors. To correct this imbalance and build a future that reflects the full spectrum of human potential, we must focus on empowering Black girls in STEM, with a special emphasis on bolstering their self-confidence.
The Importance of Representation
The adage, "You can't be what you can't see," holds particularly true in the world of STEM. It's difficult for Black girls to aspire to careers in these fields if they seldom see individuals who look like them succeeding in them. Not only is there 9% of STEM positions held by Black individuals, according to the National Science Foundation, but only 42% of that 9% are women, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Promoting Black women who have achieved in STEM, from pioneers like Katherine Johnson and Dr. Mae Jemison to today's leaders such as Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, helps these girls visualize their own potential in these fields. When young Black girls see that people like them can and have excelled in STEM, it bolsters their confidence, inspiring them to pursue their passions.
Building Confidence through Education
Confidence in STEM begins in the classroom. While generally women tend to ask more questions than men by about 23% in STEM courses, most of those women opted for anonymity at 60% compared to 49% anonymously-asked questions by men, according to Shawn Wasserman’s article “The Gender Confidence Gap in STEM Education”. Ensuring that Black girls have access to high-quality STEM education, equipped with passionate, knowledgeable, and supportive educators, is fundamental. Equally important is integrating culturally responsive teaching practices that acknowledge and value the experiences and identities of Black girls. By seeing themselves in the curriculum, their confidence can grow. Supplementing classroom learning with exposure to practical applications of STEM, such as coding clubs, science fairs, or robotics competitions, helps Black girls to build confidence in their skills and fosters a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
For example, our “Building Self-Awareness Through STEM” curriculum shines light on confidence and appearance through engagement with STEM experiments that cater to skin and hair. Black girls learn about the biology and chemistry involved in skin and hair products while making their very own products to take home. In addition, this particular curriculum provides exposure to Black women that have made significant contributions in the hair and cosmetic industry. This is very important because Black girls can easily connect with the subject matter which may help boost their STEM interest and their confidence at the same time.
Mentorship and Role Models
Mentorship plays a crucial role in bolstering the self-confidence of Black girls in STEM. Having a role model, especially one who shares racial and gender identity, can dramatically influence the perception of what's possible. Mentors can provide guidance, share their experiences, and offer invaluable insights on navigating the challenges that may arise in their STEM journey. Mentors provide real-world examples of resilience, innovation, and success, which can ignite a young girl's ambition and belief in herself. This is proven by the fact that mentorship programs boosted the representation of minorities and women in promotion and retention rates from 15% to 28% as well as management from 9% to 24%, according to Forbes.
Creating Safe and Supportive Spaces
Cultivating environments where Black girls feel safe, supported, and seen is essential for their confidence. This includes addressing and challenging racial and gender biases, both implicit and explicit, that exist within STEM. This area is a great opportunity for organizations and schools to create spaces that value and respect diversity, ensuring that every student feels comfortable expressing themselves, making mistakes, and learning.
Building Bridges, Inc. implemented the creation of these safe and supportive spaces during our STEM experiments and also with our signature self-affirmation bracelets. When Black girls engage in the experiment portion of our STEM programs, group engagement happens through collaboration and team building. The idea of “working as a team” emerges and Black girls start to feel heard and seen by their peers and our team members as well as our volunteers. Not only that, our signature self-affirmation bracelets provide a tremendous amount of support as Black girls are allowed to read their bracelets aloud and tell other Black girls what it means to them.
Community Engagement
Lastly, getting the wider community involved is a crucial part of this empowerment. Parents, guardians, and community members play a significant role in encouraging and nurturing the self-confidence of Black girls in STEM. Their role in advocating for resources, attending STEM-related events, and voicing their support for diversity in education should not be underestimated.
Our Building Bridges, Inc. team is committed to networking and building partnerships with community youth groups such as Girls Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters to ensure that their Black girls have access to STEM-related events and opportunities to nurture their self-confidence.
In conclusion, the underrepresentation of Black women in STEM is a systemic issue that demands our attention. By fostering representation, providing robust and inclusive education, facilitating mentorship, creating supportive environments, and encouraging community involvement, we can empower Black girls in STEM. This endeavor is more than a matter of equity—it's a matter of enabling our society to reach its full potential. By boosting the self-confidence of Black girls in STEM, we aren't just building a generation of diverse problem solvers, we're creating a brighter future for us all.