The Bridge: Connecting Girls to STEM
Leading with love
History teaches us that progress does not always go in a straight line, but it also shows us that if we keep on leading with love, we can achieve real change. This Black History Month, we’re celebrating love in action through our team, our educators, our mentors, and our supporters. – The Techbridge Girls Team
A love letter to Black Girls
To my daughter Hyndrix, and to all the Black girls,
You’ve known joy your whole life. As a baby, after a month of life, you knew joy! You smiled when you discovered sounds, lights, faces, colors and many of the different things around you. Your joy for exploration began naturally. With each new discovery, the corners of your mouth curled up, your mouth opened to raise your cheeks, your eyes sparkled with amazement, and a giggle escaped as your world became more familiar.
The little girl in me is moved to tears to see that joy manifested in your entire being now. I see it in the smiles from preschoolers and kindergarteners who are planting seeds in community gardens and finding the growth of the lima bean or tomato plant after weeks of growth. That joy is palpable.
The lively chattering of my daughter and the other girls in her Girl Scout troop reaches a crescendo when they are exploring the effects of an experiment and deciding whether those effects confirm their hypothesis or beckon them to try again. The joy of those voices reaches beyond walls.
When I remember my time teaching in middle school, I think of the Black girls seeking representation of Black women within the curriculum and beyond. Their brilliance was shining through as they looked for and found proof that they belonged. Their joy was transformative.
And as the teenagers in my life prepare for college and careers through their high school endeavors, the teenage girl in me recognizes that this time of exploration of new concepts of all areas of life is deeply personal and moving. I see these teenagers working through social problems with curiosity and passion and joy. That joy, as I have seen and shown, will overflow to us all.
In this month and every month to come, I want you to remember that joy is your birthright. Smile as you explore the world around you. The rich tapestry of your life is being painted through your giggles, your laughter, your twinkling eyes, and even your smirks. My life, our lives, are made better by the joy you find for yourself as a Black girl. Black girls have been essential in helping people find better ways to live their lives simply because we, you and I, embody joy.
With radical joy and promise,
Dr. Nashira Williams
Bridge Building: Upcoming Programs
Don’t miss out! You can be the change agent in education. Join other administrators, program managers, and educational leaders to bring us closer to STEM equity in our free PD program. You’ll fit right in!
Pathways: Role Models and More
Introducing….Siobahn Day Grady, Ph.D., computer science star!
Siobahn Day Grady is a computer and information scientist who works in cybersecurity combating disinformation by investigating authorship on online social networks. She’s a professor of Information Science at North Carolina Central University and heads the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Equity Research. And she’s an entrepreneur: her company, Dreams Creative Group, elevates art through web and graphic design.
Explore Siobahn’s journey here. Read more about AAAS IF/THEN ambassadors like Siobahn here and get free resources for your classroom, afterschool program, or at home!
Intersections: Techbridge in Conversation
- Feb 13th – “Building a Better Tech Future: A conversation with Hollywood” Savita Raj, CEO, speaks at a Hollywood summit for girls in Tech with the one and only Kari Byron!
- Feb 14th – Happy Valentines Day!
- Feb 15th – Final day to apply for our STEM Equity Learning Community, a free five-month opportunity to explore systems change for girls in STEM, Feb 18th is the kickoff for those accepted!
- Feb 20th – “STEM, Girls, and the Influence of Digital Communities” Jennifer Stancil, Director of Development speaks at the Science For All Summit in Chapel Hill, NC
- March 7th – Open to All: Community Meeting with our Techbridge Girls Programs Team and guest speaker, save the date – more info to come!
- April 4th – Open to All: Community Meeting with our Techbridge Girls Programs Team. save the date – more info to come!
The View: What we’re reading, using, and finding inspiration here at Techbridge Girls:
- This fascinating lesson from the Smithsonian Learning Lab explores the work of physicist and inventor Valerie Thomas and her Illusion Transmitter,a setup of mirrors and cameras that captures an image and transmits it to a different location. This lesson is made for middle and high schoolers. Check out the Learning Lab for more lessons.
(image courtesy of the Smithsonian) - On Thursday, February 27th from 3-4 pm ET, join the Institute for the Study of Resilience in Youth for cutting-edge insights at the intersection of STEM education and social-emotional development (SED). Whether you’re conducting research, designing programs, or applying for OST STEM grants, this free webinar will provide valuable insights into bridging research, policy, and practice to advance the “double bottom line” of STEM and SED.
- During Black History Month and throughout the year, we look for opportunities to train and engage in equity work. We’re always excited to attend the National Equity Project trainings. We also recommend their extensive resource collection.
- As you plan outreach during National Engineering Week, keep this opportunity in mind: the STEM Next Opportunity Fund is looking for afterschool STEM champions to join the 2025 Flight Crew! This is a national youth ambassador program promoting the value of out-of-school STEM learning. Students aged 13-18 with experience in afterschool and summer STEM learning and an interest in public speaking are encouraged to apply. Apply Now for the 2025 Flight Crew of STEM Next!
