STEM GEMS
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Mission Statement
The STEM Gems mission is to build a stronger, more inclusive STEM pipeline where girls and young women of all backgrounds are empowered to explore, pursue, and excel in STEM.
About This Cause
As a Black woman engineer educated at MIT and UC Berkeley, I often found myself in classrooms and professional spaces where I was one of the few, if not the only, woman of color. This reality was both isolating and illuminating. It led me to question why women of color are underrepresented in STEM fields and what could be done to change this. I realized that visibility and exposure are imperative—girls need to see women who look like them excelling in STEM to believe they can too. Inspired by my own experiences, I authored a book titled STEM Gems: How 44 Women Shine in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, And How You Can Too! to spotlight women in various STEM careers and show girls what’s possible. Once published, I quickly recognized that the book was just the first step. Girls also need community, resources, and experiences to inspire and support their journeys. That’s when I founded STEM Gems, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the STEM pipeline with more girls of color. The need for STEM Gems is rooted in the data. According to the NSF’s Diversity in STEM Report, women make up nearly half of the US workforce but represent just 35% of the STEM workforce, with women of color representing only 10% of the STEM workforce. In engineering and computing careers, women of color are severely underrepresented—only 4% of the STEM workforce. This lack of diversity begins early. Research consistently shows that middle school is a critical time when girls start to lose interest in STEM due to societal pressures, stereotypes, and the absence of visible role models. This gap in confidence and interest leads to fewer women pursuing STEM courses, internships, and careers, exacerbating the underrepresentation in STEM fields. STEM Gems addresses this challenge through three signature programs designed to serve girls, particularly girls of color, in grades 5-10: The STEM Gems Club partners with educators to create school-based clubs where girls engage in discussions and hands-on activities centered around the 44 careers and women in the STEM Gems book. Girls explore STEM careers, connect with role models, and build confidence in a supportive community. The STEM Gems Summit is an annual event that connects girls, parents, and educators with a diverse group of professional women in STEM. The summit offers an interactive panel discussion, networking opportunities, and lab tours, allowing girls to envision themselves in STEM careers while receiving practical advice from women who have navigated these paths. The STEM Gems Summer Camp is a week-long immersive experience held at Georgia Tech where girls engage in hands-on STEM projects, innovative lab tours, conversations with STEM professionals, and develop essential skills necessary to excel in a STEM career. The camp also centers around the STEM Gems book; girls leave with 44 world-changing STEM careers to consider and 44 phenomenal women to look up to as role models. These programs directly address the barriers that limit girls’ participation in STEM by providing visible, relatable role models, hands-on learning experiences, and a support community that empowers them to explore STEM careers. Our partnership with HBCUs like Spelman College and institutions like Georgia Tech ensures that girls are exposed to environments where STEM excellence is modeled by diverse communities.. Through our programs, we have reached thousands of girls, many of whom are now charting their own paths in STEM. As STEM Gems continues to grow, our mission remains the same—to build a stronger, more inclusive STEM pipeline where girls of all backgrounds are empowered to explore, pursue, and excel in STEM fields. By empowering marginalized girls to see themselves as future leaders in STEM careers underrepresented by women, STEM Gems is not only addressing the gender and racial gaps in STEM but also shaping a more diverse, innovative, and inclusive STEM workforce that will drive progress in the years to come.