“Girls need to walk away from our program knowing that they are capable and they are confident and STEM is a place for them.”

Cynthia Chapple

Today’s guest is Cynthia Chapple, founder of Black Girls Do STEM, a nonprofit organization that provides resources for young black girls to empower them for a successful career in STEM. Cynthia sits down with Staci to discuss the benefits of STEM programs for black girls, the challenges of women in the STEM industry, and how parents and communities can help build a more equitable future of STEM. 

• Cynthia’s K-12 Story
  • Cynthia went to public school in the southside of Chicago where all of her teachers except for one were black educators.
  • She grew up with symbols and the knowledge that black people had made significant contributions to American History.
  • Moved to St. Louis in high school where she started to learn of the impact of a desegregation program.
• What was the inspiration for Black Girls Do STEM?
  • Cynthia started Black Girls Do STEM out of anger—She recognized the lack of black women in the STEM industry in St. Louis.
  • STEM programs in St. Louis weren’t getting any black girls from public schools.
  • Cynthia spoke with Executive Directors of schools and community centers across St. Louis about what they were doing to specifically serve black girls predominantly from public schools. 

• What is STEM education?
  • STEM is an acronym Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
  • STEM education should produce real-world problem solvers that can walk into the industry with a functional understanding of how their work will be utilized.
• What are the benefits of STEM education, specifically for students of color?
  • Curiosity, imagination, and the ability to dream
  • STEM helps students of color believe that there is something of value that they can produce, give, and learn in this world.
  • It’s an opportunity to educate yourself into the middle class and break generational curses that might track you into low socioeconomic class.

• What challenges did you face coming up in the STEM industry? And how are you helping girls prepare to face that stigma?
  • Cynthia’s biggest challenge was undoing and unlearning her own socialization about her capabilities and about her value.
  • Black Girls Do STEM’s top priority is self esteem, self worth and confidence.
  • They combat all of the socialization and negative messaging as they deliver STEM workshops.
• What pushback do you get?
  • People often ask “Why does it need to be a separate environment?” or  “Why just for black girls?”
  • Black girls need to have black women role models to relate to. If you can see it, you can be it.
• What is one of the biggest challenges that is facing education for parents that are choosing to educate their children in the city of St. Louis?
  • Trust that their child is getting an adequate education. 
  • There is a level of intimidation a parent has when they go to a school, they try to ask a question and they don’t get an adequate response.
• How do you help parents, community centers, or schools when we know that there are several high schools in the city of St. Louis that don’t offer advanced math programs? 
  • We can’t advocate for kids to have a calculus teacher until we have kids that are prepared to take calculus. 
  • Pre-algebra or algebra at a middle school level is needed so we know that we are putting them on the trajectory.
• What should parents be considering or asking their prospective schools?
  • Is my student going to see algebra as an 8th grader?
  • Will my student be able to engage in hands-on science labs?
  • Will my student be able to engage in hands-on engineering/design projects both individually and cooperatively on a team?
  • Visit Navigate STL Schools to learn more considerations for choosing a middle school in St. Louis.
• How does an organization like Navigate STL Schools support that journey?
  • Navigate STL Schools needs to be going to school partners and principles and saying “show me your STEM curriculum.”
  • Navigate gets out in the community and supports parents by having a deep understanding of what a student is really feeling in those spaces.
• Is it intentional that a lot of the programs are in North St. Louis
  • Went to North St. Louis based on a lack of representation of STEM occupations in those communities as well as socioeconomic backgrounds.
• What do you hope for the future of girls in STEM in the St. Louis region?
  • If people are doing the work with good intentions, the needle will move.
• What’s next for Black Girls Do STEM? And where can people find you?
  • Black Girls Do STEM does recruitment at the beginning of every year, so enrollment is currently closed.
  • 6th graders can be added to the waitlist right now to be signed up for next year

Find out how you can get involved at https://bgdstem.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/BGDSTEM/ today. Black Girls Do STEM is always looking for black women in STEM to serve as mentors.