♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Collins: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'M CHRIS COLLINS, YOUR HOST.

CALLIE CROSSLEY IS OFF.

TONIGHT: KIDS, TECH AND STEM.

CAREERS IN THE STEM FIELD HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY SINCE 1990 BUT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE FIELD.

THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS TO A ATTRACT KIDS OF COLOR TO STEM, EXPOSING THEM TO EVERYTHING FROM ROBOTICS TO A.I.

WITH THE HOPE OF ENERGIZING YOUTH, DESTIGMATIZING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND DECREASING BARRIERS TO ENTRY.

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO ENCOURAGE AND PREPARE KIDS OF COLOR TO PURSUE A CAREER IN STEM AND INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE FIELD?

JOINING US REMOTELY: DR. RENEE RICHARDSON GOSLINE, A SENIOR LECTURER AND RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT M.I.T.

; SHALAYA MORISSETTE, PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER BOSTON CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BLACKS IN ENERGY; DR. NETTRICE GASKINS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE LESLEY STEAM LEARNING LAB AT LESLEY UNIVERSITY; AND OLU IBRAHIM FOUNDER AND C.E.O.

OF KIDS IN TECH.

CAN LADIES, WE WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE SHOW.

BASIC BLACK HAS A RIGHT, AN TUNTZ HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THOSE OF COLOR IN THE STEM FIELD.

LET'S START WITH YOU DR. GOSLINE.

TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING OF THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE, THE OLD WAY OF RACISM WHERE YOU COULD SIT ACROSS FROM A BANKER AND HE WOULD SAY, WELL YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE LOAN.

NOW WITH ALGORITHMS WE MIGHT NOT GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIGHT OUR CASE.

SO SOME OF THE RESEARCH I FOUND YOU TO BE DOING SIMPLY FASCINATING.

COULD YOU ELABORATE?

>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN PORTION OF THE HUMAN AI RELATIONSHIP.

AND AS YOU SUGGESTED, WE ARE RELYING MORE HEAVILY ON ALWAYS RITUALS OUTSOURCING A LOT OF OUR COGNITIVE LOAD IF YOU WILL TO MAKE DECISIONS AROUND WHO GETS FUNDING, WHO GETS LOANS, WHO GETS ENSURED, WHO GETS ADMITTED TO SCHOOLS, WHO GETS HIRED.

THIS IS HANG IN ALL FACETS OF OUR LIVES AND YET WE SEE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROGRAMMING THESE AREN'T REFLECTIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED.

AND MOREOVER, WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS AND FOR INSTANCE WITH REGARD TO BIAS IN AI WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLETELY AVOID, IT'S THE MOSS MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS WHO TEND TO BE AFFECTED.

SO MY RESEARCH LOOKS AT WHO TRUSTS AI AND WHY, AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES PEOPLE FEEL A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY.

AND HOW WE CAN USE THINGS LIKE FRICTION IN OUR SYSTEMS TO INTERRUPT THE SORT OF AUTOMATICITY OF ALGORITHMS, AND HANG ON SHOULD AN ALGORITHM BE DOING THIS AND WHAT POTENTIAL BIASES COULD BE PART OF THIS.

>> WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BIASES, WE ARE FINDING A WAY, SEEMS LIKE WE ARE ALWAYS HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TO GET TO THE TABLE.

BE SHALAYA HOW DO WE GET TO THE TABLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY I GUESS TO PLEAD OUR CASE SO WE ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AS WE TRY TO ENTER INTO THIS FIELD?

>> SURE.

I DEFINITELY THINK THAT WE HAVE TO START YOUNGER, RIGHT?

SO YOU HAVE TO BE GROOMED FROM A REALLY YOUNG AGE.

MY DAUGHTER IS FOUR.

SHE IS STUDYING KINETIC AND POTENTIAL ENERGY.

THAT WILL REMOVE WHAT WE THINK IN OUR HEADS ABOUT MATH AND SCIENCE BEING DIFFICULT.

IF YOU ARE GROOMING THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEY STEP INTO THE WORKPLACE AFTER COLLEGE OR EVEN WITHOUT COLLEGE INTO THE TRADES, WITH A BETTER SENSE OF CONFIDENCE, THEY HAVE A BASELINE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

SO I THINK THAT'S HOW WE REMOVE IT.

WE START REALLY YOUNG.

>> Collins: SO AGAIN IT COMES DOWN TO OPPORTUNITY.

AND IF WE LOOK AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME COLLABORATION OF TRYING TO IMPLEMENT STEM INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW, FOR ONE, SPEAKING OF A PARENT OF TWO, MY KIDS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO STEM THROUGH THE PRIVATE EDUCATION, PROBABLY IN PRE-K.

BUT THOSE OF US ARE COLOR GENERALLY DON'T SEEM TO BE REALLY GETTING THE PROPER ENTREE, THE PROPER YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY AS FAR AS JUST LEARNING, JUST RECOGNIZING, JUST SEEING THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY.

YOU MENTIONED STARTING YOUNG.

HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG, NETTRICE?

>> PART OF THE ISSUE IS STUDIES SHOW THAT STUDENTS EVEN GIRLS AND BOYS ACROSS DIFFERENT GROUPS, WILL BE INTO STEM SUBJECTS AND THEN AT AROUND AGE 12 OR 13 THINGS START TO HAPPEN.

SO BY THE TIME THEY GET OUT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE ARE NOT AS ENGAGED OR PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVELY IN STEM AREAS AS MUCH AS THEY WERE WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER.

SO EVEN IF THEY DO BEGIN EARLY, SOME MESSAGES THEY'RE GIVEN AT SOME POINT, AND BY THE TIME THEY BECOME 12 OR 13, TEND TO ATTRACT THEM ELSEWHERE.

SO THE STATISTICS THAT SHOW THE NUMBERS, MATH SCORES FOR FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS HAVE BEEN DROPPING SINCE YOU 2015 ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND ESPECIALLY SO WHEN IT COMES TO MATHEMATICS SCORES FOR WHITE STUDENTS IN GRADES 4 AND 8 ARE HIGHER THAN THEIR BLACK AND HISPANIC PEERS.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS REPRESENTATION IN STEM FIELDS.

SO IN THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND SOME OTHER AGENCIES LOOKED AT ENGINEERING WHERE BLACK PEOPLE ARE 3.9% IN ENGINEERING, AND FOR HISPANIC AND LATINO PEOPLE THEY ARE 3% AND THE REPRESENTATION IS HIGHER IN SCIENCE AND EVEN MORE SO IN EDUCATION, HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS.

IF PEOPLE ARE NOT TEEING ENOUGH REPRESENTATION OF THEMSELVES IN L STEM FIELDS THEY DON'T SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS VIABLE TO THEM.

>> Collins: MAKES SENSE.

HOW I CAME UP, MY DAD WAS AN ENGINEER, MY BROTHER WAS AN ENGINEER.

MY DAD WAS AN ENGINEER MY SISTER WAS A PHYSICIAN.

SO THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS STEM ROLE MODELS IN THE HOUSE.

NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT.

OLU I KNOW YOUR PATH LED YOU IN THAT DIRECTION AS YOU HAD GREAT ROLE MODELS IN THAT FIELD.

>> YES, SO MY DAD HAS A PH.D.

IN BIOPHYSICS, MY MOM'S A NURSE, THEY'RE RESEARCHERS.

I GREW UP AS A LOW INCOME KID BUT AS WE WERE GROWING UP MY DAD HAD THE FORESIGHT TO BUY OUR FIRST FAMILY COMPUTER, BUILT IT WITH US, WE WOULD PLAY ON THE COMPUTER, AS THEY WERE GETTING THEIR DEGREES IN THE SCIENCES OUR ECONOMIC TRAJECTORY CHANGED, THE MOVE TO OUR FIRST FAMILY HOME.

I SAW THE POWER OF EDUCATION, THE POWER OF STEM AS A GREAT ECONOMIC WAY TO GET OUT OF POVERTY.

SO THAT LED ME TO START KIDS AND TECH WITH THE MEMORY OF ME AND MY DAD.

BUT AS NETTRICE SAID, OUR FLEX SCHOOL PROGRAM, OUR AFTER SCHOOL TECH, GET STEM SCHOOL TEACHERS, WE GET TWO TYPES OF TEACHERS FOR OUR KIDS TO CO-LEAD OUR PROGRAMS AND THEY ARE WORKING FOR DIFFERENT TYPES MUCH PROGRAMMING, FROM CODING TO WEB DESIGN.

AGES 8 THROUGH 14 ARE REALLY CRUCIAL BECAUSE KIDS GET EXCITED AN LOSE INTEREST.

THE HOPE IS WHERE OUR TECH CLUB THEY SEE REPRESENTATION WITH THE PEOPLE WHO CO-LEAD.

THEY GO ON FIELD TRIPS AND INTERACT WITH EXECUTIVES.

SO IT MAKES IT REAL, LIKE A REAL PATHWAY AND THEY'RE CONNECTING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT THEY TOO CAN DO IT.

SO THAT IS THE GOAL WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THOSE BARRIERS AND, YOU KNOW, STEM IS NOT THESES TAIRK CONCEPTS, IT IS FOR EVERYONE -- DMEES THESE ESOTERIC CONCEPTS.

WE WANT THEM TO TAKE MORE MATH AND SCIENCE COURSES THROUGHOUT SCHOOL.

>> Collins: SO OLU STAY WITH YOU, HOW DO WE GET KIDS ENTHUSED IN MATH AND CONFINES AND THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE AS SEXY AS VIDEO GAMES, OR MAYBE VIDEO GAMES IS PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU TELL ME.

>> IT IS ACTUALLY.

VIDEO GAMES HAS A LOT OF ART, ENGINEERING, IT HAS ALL THE STEM CONCEPTS BUILT INTO HOW YOU BUILD A VIDEO GAME.

I THINK IT'S REALLY BREAKING IT DOWN FOR KIDS LETTING THEM KNOW FOR TO BUILD THIS VIDEO GAME, WE NEED ALL THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE TO BUILD THIS PRODUCT AND TO EVEN IMAGINE THE PRODUCT, YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO IS CREATIVE AND SKETCH IT AND THEN FROM THERE WE NEED CODERS TO CODE THE GAME AND WE NEED MARKETERS TO MARKET THE GAME SO WE CAN BUY AND PLAY WITH IT.

AGAIN STEM CONCEPTS ARE EVERYWHERE.

IT IS JUST TELLING KIDS BREAKING IT DOWN AND SAYING HERE IS SOME THINGS, HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO, FOR INSTANCE IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY, HERE IS WHY IT REALLY MATTERS.

AND THOSE LIKE I SAID THOUGH SKILLS ARE EVERYWHERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO DO, TO MAKE IT VERY REAL, VERY TANGIBLE, REALLY BREAK IT DOWN TO KIDS AND ALSO GET KIDS FRET INDUSTRY TO INTERACT WITH STUDENTS AS WELL.

>> Collins: I'M BIT TROUBLED BY NOT JUST THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY ENTERING THE FIELD BUT ONCE WE GET INTO THE FIELD THE RETENTION DOESN'T LOOK TO BE THAT GOOD.

I MEAN THE RETENTION SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT SUBFAR, AND CERTAINLY -- SUBPAR AND CERTAINLY BEHIND THOSE OF WHITE STUDENTS ENTERING THE FIELD.

NETTRICE, HOW DO WE ONCE WE GET THEM HOLD ONTO THEM AND KEEP THEM ON THAT TRACK?

>> MENTORING IS IMPORTANT.

AND MY SISTER, SHE IS AN ENGINEER, CHEMICAL ENGINEER, SHE WENT TO M.I.T.

AND COLUMBIA BUT SHE'S NO LONGER IN ENGINEERING.

SHE WAS MET WITH A LOT OF RACISM IN HER DIFFERENT -- SHE WORKED FOR ALL THE MAJOR PHARMACEUTICALS AND I THINK YOU KNOW, TALKING TO HER RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK IF SHE HAD HAD A SUPPORT SYSTEM OR SUPPORT NETWORK OF MENTORS TO HELP HER MANAGE A LOT OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING I THINK WOULD HAVE KEPT HER IN THE FIELD AT LEAST FOR THE DURATION OF HER CAREER.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE OTHER STUDENTS SEE THAT, AND THEY MAY OPT OUT, EVEN IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THE PARTICULAR AREAS.

I'VE HAD COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO FINISHED THEIR DEGREES IN THE SCIENCES WHO WILL E-MAIL ME AND SAY THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THOSE FIELDS ANYMORE, AFTER SEEING WHAT PROFESSIONALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO THEY ARE STILL EXCITED ABOUT BIOENGINEERING OR WHAT THEIR MAJOR WAS IN THE AREA THAT THEY CHOSE, BUT THEY NEED TO HAVE WAYS TO BRING THEMSELVES, IT'S KIND OF LIKE SELF HE EFFICACY AND RECEIVE, HELPS THEM SEE A PURPOSE FOR THEIR WORK, EVEN IF THERE ARE -- IF THERE IS ADVERSITY.

SO I LOOKED AT MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE.

MY MOTHER WAS A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER AND ANALYST AND I HATED COMPUTERS UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL UNTIL AN ART TEACHER BROUGHT ME INTO THAT WORLD.

AND TODAY I'M DOING AI ART AND HAVING SHOWS AT THE THE SMITHSONIAN AND ALL THAT SORT STUFF.

BUT IT STARTED WITH A TEACHER WHO SAW MY INTEREST AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH BUT ALSO KNEW THAT I HAD A SUPPORT NETWORK OF PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP ME GOING.

SO WHEN THINGS DID GET ROUGH I HAD SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON.

>> Collins: IS THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM LARGE ENOUGH, BIG ENOUGH, IS IT SUPPORTIVE ENOUGH?

I GO BACK TO THE GREAT CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, WHITNEY YOUNG, IT IS BETTER TO BE PREPARED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY AND NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, THAN TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND NOT BE PREPARED.

WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ARE WE PREPARED, SHALAYA?

>> THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE BIGGER.

ALTHOUGH I NEED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, NETTRICE, ALL YOU AMAZING WOMEN.

I STEPPED AWAY FROM MY DAY JOB ON NATIONAL GRID TO TEACH AT DEARBORN STEM ACADEMY.

I'M SEEING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE ARE MISSING OUT ON BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PREPARED.

I'M TRYING TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE.

A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BRINGING PEOPLE IN TO SHOW REPRESENTATION.

WE ARE BRINGING PIZZA INTO THE CLASS.

WHAT I NEED IS HAVE PEOPLE ASKING, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WORKING ON?

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

IF SOMEONE IN INDUSTRY IS WORKING WITH A YOUNG KID AND SEES THEIR PROMISE AND THEIR ABLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GRADUATE COME SEE ME.

I MIGHT HAVE AN INTERNSHIP WITH YOU OR LET'S DO THIS INTERNSHIP NOW WHILE YOU'RE IN CLASS.

LET'S EXPAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN ENGINEERING AND CLOSE THE GAP.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

SO PROVIDING MORE CHANCES IN ENGINEERING THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT, THERE IS AN ASPHALT CAMP IN ENGINEERING, THE NATIONAL COMPANIES EVERGRID ALL THESE GUYS, REQUEST WE HAVE OFFSHORE WIND WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, TONS OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE TEACHERS THAT HAVE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT TO OFFER THAT TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT.

>> Collins: THERE SEEMS TO BE A GAP NOT WITH THOSE OF COLOR BUT ALSO GENDER.

A HUGE DISPARITY IN TERMS OF FEMALES, WOMEN ENTERING THE FIELD.

HOW DO WE FIRE UP THE FEMALE POPULATION, NOT JUST FIRE THEM UP, BUT REALLY CREATE AFTERNOON AVENUE, A PATH THAT SAYS THIS IS AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THIS IS A VIABLE FIELD THAT YOU SHOULD CERTAINLY BE EXPLORING, OLU?

FROM SO I THINK JUST TO ADD ON TO SHALAYA'S POINT, IN TERMS OF ADDING MORE WOMEN TO THE TABLE, I'M NOT ADVOCATING THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE BRINGING THEIR OWN CHAIRS AND CREATING THEIR OWN TABLES.

THE MORE OF A NETWORK WE CAN BUILD.

I ALSO THINK ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG GIRLS IN THE PROGRAM THAT WE WORK WITH WE ALWAYS TRY TO ALWAYS CONNECT THEM WITH ANOTHER FEMALE ROLE MODEL SO THE THEY CAN SEE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.

BUT AS NETTRICE SAID THERE ARE SYSTEMATIC BARRIERS THAT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM FALLING OFF.

I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING O BE SAID ABOUT THE WORKPLACE AND HOW WE CREATE INCLUSIVE POLICIES TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN THEIR CAREER JOURNEY.

I THINK IT'S ON BUSINESS SEEKERS TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE SUPPORT IN THE WORKPLACE?

WHAT KIND HE SUPPORTS DO THEY NEED SO THAT THEIR GENIUSES GET LEFT ON THE TABLE.

WE NEED THEM TO SHINE.

WHO CAN WE DO AT YOU'RE OWN NONPROFITS, OUR OWN BUSINESSES AROUND STEM TO MAKE SURE THEY STAY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVE STEM FOR VARIOUS REASONS, NOT LACK OF MENTORSHIP WHICH WE KNOW IS VERY IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT A STEM CAREER, LACK OF JUST SUPPORT, HOW THE DO I GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL, HOW DO I GET THERE POLICIES AROUND MATERNITY LEAVE IF A WOMAN WANTS TO LEAVE, THERE'S JUST A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORKPLACE POLICIES THAT I THINK CAN BE MORE FAMILY, WOMAN-FRIENDLY AND THEY CAN STAY.

AND CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE.

BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MUCH GENIUS BEHIND THESE WOMEN, WE NEED SYSTEMATIC SUPPORT TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEM AND BRING THEIR IDEAS TO THE TABLE.

>> Collins: RENEE, MY PERCEPTION WHETHER RIGHT OR WRONG AT M.I.T.

WOULD BE HEAVILY MALE POPULATED, WHAT HAPPENS AT I M.I.T.

IS GOING TO BE THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD CONCERNING, REGARDING TECHNOLOGY.

HOW DO YOU START TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AND GET MORE FEMALES INTO THE FIELD I GUESS WOULD BE MY QUESTION AND ARE YOU SEEING MORE FEMALES ACTIVELY ENTERING INTO THE TECHNOLOGY SPACE?

>> I THINK IT IS A TWO PRONGED APPROACH.

THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL SOLUTIONS BUT THE ABILITY TO FIND A MENTOR CAN OFTEN BE IDEOSIN ACCURATELYIC.

IF YOU ARE LUCKY THAT THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD TAKE A LIKING TO YOU, WE DO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO DO GET IN THOSE POSITIONS ARE OFTEN DOING THIS SORT OF UNPAID WORK THAT ENDS UP MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO SUCCEED IN THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION DOESN'T VALUE OR REWARD THOSE THINGS.

SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS, INDIVIDUAL LEVEL SOLUTION HE ARE DEFINITELY IMPORTANT, GETTING PEOPLE TO SORT OF GET EXCITED, LIMITING INTIMIDATION.

MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I NEVER WOULD GO TO OFFICE HOURS BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS FOR KIDS WHO WERE NOT DOING WELL IN SCHOOL.

WHEN I GOT TO COLLEGE I REALIZED OFFICE HOURS IS WHERE IT HAPPENS.

THAT'S WHERE YOU KNOW YOU BECOME MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER FACE IN THE CLASS.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS.

BECAUSE THIS ISSUE IS A REFLECTION OF SYSTEMIC BARRIERS.

.SO WE NEED SYSTEMIC CHANGE TO SOLVE IT.

THAT INCLUDES RESOURCE ALLOCATION.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE.

WHERE ARE THESE RESOURCES GOING?

WHY ARE THEY NOT GOING TO OUR SCHOOL?

WE NEED TO BUST THE MYTHOLOGY AROUND PIPELINE.

THAT'S LAZY THINKING, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH PIPELINE.

WHY IS IT THAT BLACK PEOPLE THOUGH WHEN WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE WE HAVE NO PROBLEM FINDING BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE TALENTED AND IN STEM, RIGHT?

WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITIES OF WHITE PEOPLE HAVE VERY TO PUT A NERDY WORD ON IT, HOMOPHYLIS SOCIALLY NETWORKS.

THAT MEANS THAT BLACK INEQUALITY IS GOING TO GET REPRODUCED.

WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR HIRING PRACTICES.

I'M VERY PROUD TO BE AT M.I.T.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

THERE'S A LOT OF TALENT THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT DEGREE, THAT STAMP ON IT, RIGHT?

AND SO WE NEED TO GO BEYOND THOSE TRADITIONAL CHANNELS.

BECAUSE THOSE TRADITIONAL CHANNELS HAVE BEEN MOST OPEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BENEFITED FROM A LEGACY OF, YOU KNOW, EARLY EXPOSURE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS.

NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT.

BUT I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO PROVIDE LOW RISK OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO TINKER AROUND.

YOU KNOW BILL GATES CREATED HIS COMPANY IN HIS GARAGE.

THIS NOTION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL OUR DUCKS IN A ROW BEFORE WE STEP INTO STEM, WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT.

BECAUSE ONE THING THAT BLACK AND LATINO KIDS OFTEN DON'T GET IS ROOM TO FAIL, ROOM TO MAKE MISTAKES.

BUT SCIENCE IS ABOUT THAT, ABOUT DISCOVERY, ABOUT PUTTING THIS STUFF TOGETHER.

DID IT WORK?

DID IT NOT?

LET'S TINKER.

SO WHEN WE USE LANGUAGE, WHEN WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS, WHEN WE HAVE STRUCTURES, THAT ARE EXCLUSIVE AND INTIMIDATING, THAT DEPRIVES PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE LOW-RISK EXPERIENCES.

>> Collins: SURE.

>> AND WE KNOW THAT FAMILIARITY LEADS LIKING.

SO LET'S BE FAMILIAR.

>> Collins: I FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION, I KNOW TODAY SPECIFICALLY IT'S ABOUT STEM BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S THE SAME CONVERSATION WE HAVE IN MANY FIELDS, MANY FIELDS THAT ARE LUCRATIVE.

I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME IN THE FINANCE WORLD AND WE COULD HAVE THE EXACT SAME COVERSATION, LACK OF ROLE MODELS, LACK OF MENTORS, LACK OF PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, KIND OF DISTRACTS OR DETRACTS FROM WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO OR KIND EVER NOT FEELING THAT YOU'RE PART OF THE PARTY, IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT.

BUT WHEN WE GO TO THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES OR WE GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS OR EVEN BELOW, ARE WE ACTIVELY, ARE WE DEVELOPING AND I'LL PUT THIS TO YOU, NETTRICE, ARE WE WITH DEVELOPING CREATIVE THINKERS?

I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HE STEM BUT ARE THE KIDS ACTUALLY GRASPING IT AND ARE WE CREATING THOSE WHO KIND OF CREATE AND THINK AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF USE?

>> SURE.

YOU KNOW, WE TAUGHT -- WE DID A -- WE OFFERED A DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE IN AI ROBOTICS TO SUMMER SCHOOL STUDENTS, WE HAD 16 STUDENTS VERY DIVERSE, SELECTED BY THEIR TEACHERS AND WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT IN A VERY SHORT TIME, STUDENTS COULD, IF THEY'RE NOT A ROBOTICS CLUB, AND A THIRD OF THEM PROBABLY WERE IN A ROBOTICS CLUB BUT THERE WERE A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO PROBABLY HADN'T BEEN IN THAT SPACE IN SCHOOL, HADN'T DONE THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU WOULD DO TO PUT TOGETHER A ROBOT.

SO AT THE END OF THE FOUR WEEKS THEY HAD A CAP STONE PROJECT WHERE THEY DEVELOPMENTALLY HAD ROBOTS AND THEY COULD SHOW THE PRINCIPAL, THEY COULD SHOW THE TEACHERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, ALL THE ROW BARTS MADE ART, ALL THE ROBOTS USED AI TO MAKE ART.

ONE OF THE THINGS I PUSHED FOR IS CHANGING THE WAY THE ENVIRONMENT IS SHAPED.

SO THERE ARE CERTAIN PRACTICES AND METHODS AND STRATEGIES THAT I USE THAT ARE CALLED TECHNOVERNACULAR CREATIVITY, IN THERE I TALK ABOUT THE CIPHER FROM HIP HOP AND HOW YOU CAN USE THAT IN THE MAKER SPACE.

BY THE END OF THE EXPERIENCE, THE STUDENTS ARE CIPHERING, AT LEAST TWICE A DAY.

QUIET STUDENTS START TO SPEAK MORE, THEY KNOW THEIR VOICES ARE VALUED.

IN THE END EVERYONE FEELS THEY'RE ON THE SAME LEVEL AND THEY ARE A PART OF SOMETHING AS OPPOSED TO US TALKING AT THEM.

SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE ACTUAL SPACE, GIVEN CARVING TIME IN AN HOUR SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE TIME TO TINKER.

20 MINUTES AT A TIME, TEN MINUTES AT A TIME, IN SOME SCHOOLS IT IS PACKED INTO LUNCH TIME, AT THE END OF LUNCH TO RUN OVER TIRCHG EAR WHILE AND GO OVER TO CLASSES.

BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CLASSES.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO TAP INTO THE SKILLS THAT KIDS HAVE, PLACES THEY GO TO MAKER SPACES THEY HAVE GOING TO COLLEGE TO GET INTO ENGINEERING AND OTHER FIELDS.

QULANS I THOUGHT WAS AAMAZING WAS HIP HOP, GRAND MASTER FLASH, A SCIENTIST, WHO KNEW?

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT PROMOTED BUT THAT WAS THE DEAL.

>> BUT WHETHER WE TALK ABOUT GRAND MASTER FLASH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENGINEERS?

HE ADAPTED THE CROSS-VADER AND THAT MACHINE IS USED ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY.

SO WHY DON'T WE -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENGINEERING WE CAN TALK ABOUT HIM BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY DOES APPLY ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC METHODS TO WHAT HE DOES.

>> Collins: OLU, BREAKING THE STRING, YOU LIKE MYSELF HAD AN ENGINEER IN THE HOUSE SO IT WAS KIND EVER EASY TO KIND OF -- ARE KIND OF EASY HOW PEOPLE FOLLOW THAT PATH.

HOW DO WE BREAK THE STRING?

HOW DO WE GET THOSE PARENTS WHO ARE ALL, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY SAVVY AND REALLY PASSING IT ON TO THEIR KIDS.

BECAUSE UNTIL YOU GET AT A TYPE OF CYCLES IT'S REALLY HARD TO REALLY MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, LONG STANDING CHANGE WITHOUT THOSE SIGNIFICANT ROLE MODELS.

AND I THINK IT STARTS AT HOME.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF -- COY TALK ABOUT OUR PARENTS IN OUR PROGRAMS.

A LOT OF THEM KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.

THEY NEVER HAD EXPOSURE.

SO FOR WHAT WE DO WE ALWAYS INVITE ALL OF THE PARENTS TO COME SEE WHAT THE KIDS ARE WORKING ON AT ANY TIME SO THEY CAN LEARN THE CONCEPTS THAT THE KIDS WOULD LIKE HOWEVER, I THINK YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING ON IS TRYING TO GET MORE PARENT ENGAGE NMENT OUR PROGRAM SO THEY CAN ALSO TEACH THEIR KIDS OUTSIDE OF OUR PROGRAMS CONCEPTS, WE KNOW PARENT INVOLVEMENT IS KEY YET A LOT OF OUR PARENTS ARE LOW INCOME PARENTS, THEY HAVE TO WORK TWO OR THREE JOBS BUT THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR KIDS INTO OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT OKAY THIS IS AN ECONOMIC PATHWAY FOR MY CHILD TO SUCCEED BUT THIS IS ALSO SPACE FOR THEM TO LEARN, BE CREATIVE AND FAIL MISRAMISERABLY AND NOT BE PUNISHED FOR IT.

I THINK IT'S TIME TO GAIN CONFIDENCE SKILLS.

IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S IMPORTANT SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON, GET PARENTS HOW CAN I READ MY CHILD A BOOK AT NIGHT IF, THESE ARE SOME KITS THAT I COULD BUILD WITH MY CHILD AT HOME, THAT WE GIVE TO THE PARENTS TO WORK ON WITH THEIR CHILD TO KIND OF HE GET THEM ACCLIMATED TO IT.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT OBVIOUSLY VERY CRUCIAL.

AND WE TRY TO 74th PARENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO PUNISH PARENTS EITHER AS WELL.

BUT WE DO JUST WANT THEM TO GET EXCITED, FOR THEIR KIDS IN THEIR PROGRAMS AND THROUGH THOSE EXPERIENCES I THINK THEY WILL EARN CONFIDENT.

>> Collins: LADIES, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING, GETTING THOSE BLACK AND BROWN KIDS INTO TECHNOLOGY.

IT IS EVERYWHERE.

THAT IS THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND THE END OF OUR SHOW.

THANKS TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION, ONLINE ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.

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