For Mentors
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Saturday Academy's Mission Statement
Saturday Academy develops creative, confident, and curious critical thinkers by engaging students in socially conscious and equitable Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math experiences. We spark curiosity, connect our community, and empower students to become the innovative thinkers and problem solvers of the next generation.
Because sparking curiosity in our interns means understanding them--their lived experiences and their specific needs-- here we ask you, as a mentor, to engage with the resources below & reflect on how you can help your intern(s) to have an inclusive, positive and impactful experience in your workplace. Please click through the flags to read and watch selected resources, and complete a short reflection in step 5 to conclude the training. See step 6 for further reading materials on Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & those underrepresented in STEM.
To understand why our commitment to and work on equity is important, we turn to this picture painted by Rukaiyah Adams about the history of wealth inequality in America. Rukaiyah Adams is the Chief Investment Officer at Meyer Memorial Trust. Please click here to watch Homegirls’ guide to being powerful | Rukaiyah Adams | TEDxMtHood (14 min). You will be asked to reflect on it in step 5.
Optional
For a deeper dive, watch the PBS Documentary "Against All Odds: The Fight for the Black Middle Class" (1 hour, 15 minutes). Journalist Bon Herbert discusses "the harsh and often brutal discrimination that has made it extremely difficult for African-Americans to establish a middle-class standard of living, while also exploring the often heroic efforts of Black families to pursue the American Dream in the face of unrelenting barriers".
In the video linked below, students of color at Harvard University share their experiences on campus and in the classroom. As you watch, please think about how your intern might experience your workplace during their internship. We ask you to take note of two or three things you learned from the video, and share your thoughts on it in the reflection in step 5.
I, Too, Am Harvard | Ahsante the Artist (5 min)
Optional
Read The New York Times article by Abdi Latif Dahir Erased from a Davos Photo, a Ugandan Climate Activist [Vanessa Nakate] Is Back in the Picture about a 24-year-old activist cropped from a photo with Greta Thunberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and her response to such overt erasure.
The podcast with full text linked below relates the story of Maura Appleberry, a high school student whose curiosity about battery storage for wind turbines led her to research in a university lab, and the experiences that followed. As you read, please make mental notes to share on the reflection in step 5.
One Teen’s Story of Science Sexism | Caroline Lester | Innovation Hub (10 min)
Optional
Read article Being Female in Science by Paige Brown Jarreau, a harrowing compilation of accounts of what it is to be a woman in STEM, and how to begin to move towards a more inclusive representation of women in science.
Please take a few moments to share your reflections on the resources you've viewed on this page. We welcome you to share other resources on diversity, equity and inclusion in the STEM workplace as well. A page of further resources is on step 6.
Your responses are confidential, and designed to promote understanding of equity in STEM.
Finally, we invite you to share your thoughts on our Focus on Equity professional development page with a Saturday Academy staff member. The entire community benefits when our programs, workplaces, and interactions are more inclusive and equitable.
Thank you,
The ASE Team at Saturday Academy
ASE@saturdayacademy.org
- Employment Trends in Science and Engineering by National Science Foundation (Data)
- STEM Jobs & Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity by Pew Research (Article)
- Oregon's State STEM Report Card by The Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America (Data)
- Responses to 10 Common Criticisms of Anti-Racism Action in STEM (Essay)
- 20 Things I Will Do to Be a More Equitable Educator (Essay)
- Personal Self Assessment of Anti-Bias Behavior (Self-Assessment)
- Take a test at Project Implicit (Bias Assessment)
- Join the Race Card Project & Read more about it (Article)
- The Future of STEM Depends on Diversity (Video - 15 min)
- Academics for Black Survival and Wellness (Training and collection of resources)
Please feel free to suggest resources by sending them to the Saturday Academy ASE Program.