Use Technology-Focused Extracurriculars to Get Black Students Interested in STEM Careers
Having computer courses may not be enough to really give students a hands-on experience with technology and open them up to all the potential jobs in this ever-expanding field of work. Extracurricular activities like science fairs, hackathons and robotics programs could all help get more Black students involved in science, math, technology and engineering. It also allows for an additional realm of parental support. Having a competition or event that parents and peers show up to for moral support can help create positive memories for a child with dreams of pursuing a STEM career.
Defeat the Negative Narrative
The Black community faces many barriers to entry when it comes to the tech world, and it has caused a negative narrative to plague many young minds. While entering the tech space could very well prove to be quite the challenge for Blerds, it’s also important that young Blerds pursue those dreams and aspirations wholeheartedly. As Christopher Smith, a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, explained, “If people convince you that science and math is harder than everything else, and you already have low self-esteem, maybe that’s one reason there are so few Black scientists.”