Being Black in STEM

May 20, 2023
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Harper High School
Harper High School, South Wood Street, Chicago, IL, USA

Register Now

Program Series:
Science and Society

Share

Share

Racialized inequities within STEM, or the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources based on race, have led to disparities in academic achievement and outcomes for BlPOC youth. Black students, in particular, are often underrepresented in STEM fields and are more likely to face barriers preventing them from succeeding.

One factor contributing to this inequality is the historical legacy of racism and discrimination, which has resulted in limited access to quality education, resources, and opportunities for many Black individuals. Additionally, the lack of representation and cultural competence in STEM fields has created a difficult environment for Black students to succeed; role models that reflect Black students can create a STEM environment that is more comfortable and safe to navigate.

To address this issue from a comprehensive lens, we must first acknowledge that the current system of education and STEM is built on oppressive structures, where not enough efforts have been made to facilitate proper STEM education for Black youth in particular. Even current efforts from government and private agencies are yet to be effective. We must work towards a more just and equitable society by dismantling the systems perpetuating these inequalities and replacing them with alternatives, prioritizing community empowerment, liberation, and healing.

Building on the efforts of our partner, Teamwork Englewood (TE), particularly that of Program Manager Avanii Hazzard’s commitment to center the needs of desires of the youth she works with, this program will invite experts to sit in rotating roundtable conversations with program attendees. These conversations will be led by TE’s youth and will center their curiosity and desires for what knowledge they want to share and learn about. Non-TE attendee’s are invited to participate in the discussions, where questions for our experts are welcome!

Join Teamwork Englewood, The Association for Women in Science, and The Chicago Council on Science and Technology for a chance to center youth in a conversation about what it means to be Black in STEM.

Event Details

Saturday, May 20th, 2023 from 12:30pm-2:30pm CT, in person at Harper High School.

In-person address:

6520 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60636

This program will be hosted in person at Harper High School. C2ST will work with our partners to ensure that COVID protocols put in place by the CDC, and the city at large, are followed and well-communicated. COVID protocols, and any other emergent information will be emailed to all registrants the week of the program.

Parking Options:

TBD/ Coming Soon!

Notice 1: As a guest of the Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST), you agree to be photographed, videotaped, or filmed and grant C2ST permission to put the finished footage/photography to any uses that it may deem proper including marketing, advertising (print, radio, and television) and PR-related activities.

Notice 2: If you have unsubscribed from Eventbrite emails in the past, your ticketing information may be sent to spam. Please check your spam folder an hour prior to the program, and if your tickets aren’t there, reach out (info@c2st.org). Thank you!

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT MORE STEM PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE!

Featured Guests and Partner

Avanii Inarii Hazzard, Program Manager, Teamwork Englewood

Avanii Inarii is a youth development professional with ten years’ experience implementing programming and services for youth residents from Chicago’s south side communities. Avanii’s work in the youth development field is focused on youth inclusivity, youth empowerment, and addressing adultist systems. As an Englewood native,  Avanii is committed to addressing systemic barriers and disadvantages faced by Englewood youth residents. Through her work she hopes to highlight the value of young people, their ideas and their existence.

Anthony Bartley, Chicago-based Visual Artist

Anthony Bartley is a Chicago-based visual artist. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Biology and a minor in art. He currently works as a Scientific Graphic Designer for Washington University in St. Louis’ Medical School in their OBGYN department.

April Andry Rah’man, PhD Candidate, Researcher, Educational Organizer

April Andry Rah’man is an educator, researcher, and educational organizer. But if you ask April what education is, it might not sound like the schools that you know. “I believe education is a part of living. When we breathe, we get an education from the molecules in the air. When we walk, we receive knowledge from the earth. When we dance, our bodies learn to flow with rhythm, sweat, and spacetime. Any time I’m reading, whether it’s a book or the eyes of my child asking me unspoken questions, I’m receiving an education. Any time I respond, whether it’s by answering his questions, writing notes in the margins of a book, or nodding at a stranger as I pass by, I’m giving an education. Education is life. Education is love.”

As a doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, April explores the ways that educators organize spaces of belonging (home-places) for Black learners in a landscape of anti-Blackness. She works as a graduate research assistant at UIC’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence, where she supports faculty with the design of action research projects to improve their teaching practice. April teaches in the Division of Non-Traditional Degrees and Continuing Education at Chicago State University. She’s co-founder of an adult education organization, Groundbreaking Education, where she teaches math and science to adult learners working to obtain a high school diploma. Last but not least, April is mom to two boys, ages 6 and 12, who have guided her on the journey towards teaching with an ethic of spiritually-centered care.

Dr. Jarrad Hampton-Marcell , Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Illinois at Chicago

Dr. Jarrad Hampton-Marcell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He received his B.Sc. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and M.Sc. in Integrative Biology, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He then received his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution from University of Illinois at Chicago. His current research examines the microbial implications on cell and tissue physiology in humans. His research focuses specifically examines the role microbiota residing in the gastrointestinal tract play in shaping health outcomes of cardiometabolic disease such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Prior to UIC, Dr. Hampton-Marcell spent nearly a decade at Argonne National Laboratory studying microbial ecology in the soil, marine, and built-environments. Dr. Hampton-Marcell is also a former football standout who now co-leads the HEROH Foundation, a non-profit sports performance foundation in the Chicago area. Dr. Hampton-Marcell has worked on projects associated with the National Institute of Health, Department of Justice, and NASA. His work has been featured in various media outlets including TIME Magazine. A first-generation student/researcher/academic, he is heavily involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion of minorities in STEM.