If women of color consistently report that STEM spaces lack psychological safety, then we don’t need more pipeline programs — we need programs that build safe spaces, community, and confidence before they ever enter those spaces.
This is the exact gap that organizations like STEM & Leaf and Techbridge Girls are built to fill — intentionally creating belonging-centered, culturally grounded, psychologically safe entry points into STEM that directly address the barriers the research has already confirmed. – Faith Collins, founder of STEM & Leaf and SLC participant
What gives us the strength to navigate tough times, steep learning curves, uncertain territory? For most of us, the answer is some kind of community. When we’re just one person, it’s easy to burn out, or to dim our light. When we’re together, something else happens: we start to feel safe, and in feeling safe, we start to be stronger.
Today, we’re happy to share these thoughts from SLC participant Faith Collins.
If you are a program manager, administrator, or site director for out-of-school-time STEM learning, we welcome you to consider the STEM Learning Community as a way to explore how our own experiences can help us to create equitable learning spaces for all children.
Reach out to us at programs@techbridgegirls.org to learn more about our upcoming STEM Learning Community opportunities.
