Like Katherine G Johnson whose story is told in the upcoming "Hidden Figures" Film , there are so many women across the globe making history in the STEM Field. The story of many of these women just like yours remain untold.
As I continue to grow a career in the STEM field , I am constantly inspired by the women around me. Women who dare to continue making strides in their various positions. Making strides however doesn't mean you don't make mistakes - making strides means you keep getting ahead and at the end of the day every story of the steps made counts. The women making strides keep learning from the journey and most importantly keep making an impact in whatever magnitude they can.
Many women I have met that are thinking of sharing their story of how they are making strides in their STEM careers believe their journey must be perfect to count. That is far from the truth , because it has been proven over and over again that there is power in authentic story telling. Your story could inspire others like you. Given the double jeopardy of women of color or minority groups working in the STEM industry shown by this study which highlights the Gender Bias and Double jeopardy statistics, there is even more need for women to continue telling their stories and sharing both their successes and challenges.
These statistics should not determine our final results in our strides towards shaping powerful and inclusive STEM workplaces, instead they should trigger our ability to tell the untold history of women working in STEM. Despite the challenges, if you are working in the industry you will know that there are already several women making these strides each and every day that they show up and give their best. All these stories must be told to engage more and more people in the conversation to crush the gender bias and gender kingdoms our society has painted.
The white house has a great page featuring women from across the Administration tell the stories of their personal heroes across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The hidden figures is also that beautiful reminder of the untold stories of these women. The search for hidden figures has established that "as demand for these (STEM) skill sets grow, a shortage of STEM candidates has emerged. Projections indicate that by 2018 there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs in the U.S. alone. And although women make up 48% of the workforce, they hold only 23% of STEM positions. By helping more women launch STEM careers, we can make major strides in solving the STEM job gap."
Are you one of these women launching a career in the STEM fields ? What is your untold story ? If you are 13 years or older and residing in the United States of America then go ahead and apply. The professional Track Contest is for women aged 20 and older . If you are younger , your application will fall under the junior track.
In telling your story and sharing your passion for the Science, Technology , Engineering and Math - you will engage more young women and girls like you to make strides in making a difference in the world. In telling or sharing the story of others, more people will learn and will begin to crush and close the gender gaps that society has created and supported for so long in the STEM fields.
Collective success will be measured by your engagement. This contest will enable the empowerment and recognition of young girls and women interested in STEM . Share your story with the hidden figures or share the contest with others and grow the network to support women and girls in this field.
Beginning today through December 10, 2016, online entries will be accepted directly at www.SearchforHiddenFigures.com. Semi-finalists will be selected in mid-December, and each will be asked to provide a video submission for continued consideration. Top video submissions will then be judged by a notable panel of judges that include: "Hidden Figures" Producer Pharrell Williams; "Hidden Figures" Producer Donna Gigliotti; Fox 2000 President Elizabeth Gabler; and President of the New York Academy of Sciences Ellis Rubinstein.
Share your story or someone who has inspired you. By doing so , honor their legacy by committing to encourage a young woman to pursue a career in science. Don't forget to tag it #hiddenfigurestory - to stand a chance to get your own copy of the book "HiddenFigures" by Margot Lee Sheerly that inspired this beautiful movie of 3 women who shaped and inspired STEM in the 60s.
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