How many girls of color are super smart in mathematics, how many want to be engineers, how many girls of color want to be doctors and lawyers, scientists and pilots?
How many want to be veterinarians and writers like Breyonna Fox a sophomore attending High School in Jacksonville, Florida, she is interning with My Quest To Teach writing blogs that are read nationally.
Taylor Richardson of Bolles Middle School, her dreams to be an astronaut traveling to Mars and exploring the Red Planet, there are more girls that want to follow her and increase their reading literacy. How many want to be like Angie Nixon’s daughter Natalie creating a national following with “The Adventures of a Moxie McGriff.”
How many boys of color love to read and how many enjoy building with Legos and other materials that could make them the next architects and designers of our national infrastructure for roads and buildings. Young men like Elisha Taylor and 8th-grade students that love robotics, reading and has spoken at conferences; TEDxFSCJ and attending WordCamps and EdCamps in Florida.
Young men such as Jon Gregory of Edward Waters College studying to be an elementary education teacher working with TEAM UP in Jacksonville, Florida. He has spoken at EdCamp NASBE and attended WordPress and WordCamp events. One of the first to speak at the Edward Waters “TIGER TALKS Experience.”
Each of these dynamic and success driven visionaries are embracing their talents as smart creatives and innovators for the future. How many boys and girls of color will be able to design future spaceships that will take astronauts beyond Mars and to the stars? These are dreams that many do have. There is Hidden Magic in children of color and culture that needs to be cultivated and encouraged.
The movie Hidden Figures has sparked a renewed interest in the need for girls and women to enter into #STEM careers, it is a call for boys and men also to get involved in #STEM and STEAM that allows the imagination to know no limitations. Girls and women shatter glass ceilings, boys, and men demolishing walls that keep them out of innovative and historic careers with tech.
There was a time as seen in the movie Hidden Figures where Black girls and boys were honored as scholars and intellectuals, what has happened in the 21st century?
There are too many that are scared to read books in public, too many being bullied because they love math and science. The question why is a question that needs to be answered. Not just in schools, but in homes where parents are the first educators. How can kids bring guns to school but struggle to bring books to and from school and parent not be aware?
Why are our Black girls and boys that can be honor students scared to be academically successful? What has happened since the days when Blacks had to secretly learn how to read using the Bible that was hidden away. That was a “hidden treasure” because it was the tool that Blacks used to start the educational process that even continues today.
HBCUs had to struggle to teach not because of money, but because society did not think Blacks were smart enough to be anything other than field workers, hired hands and property. These stories are not science fiction, but science fact how Blacks have influenced a time in national history.
If not for them there may not have been a journey to the moon or if there had been, it may have cost more human lives. Look at the facts that Blacks helped put a man in space, Blacks helped put a man on the moon and Blacks continue to do this.
HBCUs have contributed to thousands of Hidden Figures that are still unknown and their contributions are historical in the benefits we enjoy today. Parents and teachers need to
work together to create cultures of learning for the betterment of our cultures and society.
It is because of the diversity that America has that is why this nation is still the best place in the world to live because we enjoy freedoms that our constitution allows for everyone. The embracing of diversity brings a strength and value to our educational systems, industry, commerce, research and development.
America is strong because of the diversity of cultures and minds. Black do have opportunities and they must be prepared for new growth in new careers.
To participate in a continued discussion centered on women and their growing influence.
Attend the Real Talk Real Change – Real Talk Real Change by E3 Business Group
RTRC VIII: “We Are Women, Hear Us More!”
