Thank you for taking the time to watch our video!

The I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM Initiative is a liberatory learning and mentoring counterspace designed to promote STEM persistence among women and girls of color in a manner centered on thriving. To read more about the ICP STEM Initiative, please click here - https://bit.ly/3vIZIU8. We are in the formative years of our NSF-funded project and, as such, have focused our video on providing an overview of the Initiative and sharing the experiences of some of our Scholars in the Initiative.

We are looking forward to dialoging with you about creating wholesome and affirming counterspaces for Black and Brown women in STEM! We especially want to hear how you have prioritized a focus on wellbeing as part of your efforts to support Black and Brown women’s success in STEM.

Hello, Dr. Wilkins-Yel. I enjoy reading your work, so it's a pleasure to "meet" you here. 

I love that the focus of the program is not only to persist, but to thrive. It really resonates with me. Thank you for this important work! 

This initiative is fascinating! I love the focus on women and girls of color. I think your work is what it takes in order for women and girls to advance in STEM fields. It's impressive that I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM has blossomed across four institutions so fast. I am excited to see that you've also included an community college. I'm interested to learn more about the approach you take in gathering data to assess impact. Thank you! 

I echo the sentiments of everyone here!  With respect to thriving, the part that has always been particularly difficult for me is to how does one reconcile the notion that counterspaces are necessary to navigate "chilly environments" with whose responsibility it is to transform spaces into environments that do not require counterspaces.  Though it should not be the burden of underrepresented groups to champion and strategize toward systemic equity, the reality it is that it is our burden.  Students, faculty, staff at higher institutions should just be able to be students and enjoy their STEM experience and not be in a perpetual state of trying to critically reform it.  How is your program discussing these issues and preparing students in this regard? Have their been any interesting findings have been suggested and or implemented at Indiana University or other collaborating institutions?

Very awesome project! I agree with Dr. Alkins above. It's a shame that it's a "counterspace" and not the norm but that is our reality. With that being said, it's great that you are providing that space. To answer your question above on how we prioritize well-being. In my mentoring program (which I will showcase next year), I use peer-mentoring here in an HBCU setting which provides students with additional social and emotional support. This was especially important during the pandemic when students (especially incoming first year students) were isolated and did not have the opportunity to bond with others in 2020 when they first entered. 

Wonderful project! Yes! STEM identity, and mentoring, and safe spaces to feel that they can ask for help! Your program is hitting many of the high notes that ours is working on too. Although we did not intend to have women only, our program (serving Biology and Chemistry majors) currently is made of 78% females, probably a reflection of the Biology major being more popular among women. 

I like the multi-institutional component. Do the students have activities in common? Are the programmatic things planed together? How about the execution? 

"Thriving not just surviving" should be the mantra for all of our STEM scholars. Love it!

This is an amazing project! Everyone before me has said made wonderful points that I agree with wholeheartedly, the focus on women of color and diversity is exciting especially within the STEM space!

What an exciting project! I wonder if you might share any information on how you are measuring success? What would it look like for this project to have facilitated success for your participants, and how will you know it when you see it - both in the short term and the long term? Thanks so much for sharing!

Thank you for creating such a critical space- a counterspace- I would love to see this approach replicated in informal learning spaces and also with young children so there is a long pathway  throughout a person's learning journey. The idea of thriving resonated with me in particular. In the library world we are seeing a trend toward creating a sense of belonging for the youth we serve which feels like it is akin to what you are working to accomplish in your project. I will be looking at your website for sure! 

This is an exciting project that covers a broad range of STEM fields, with a focus on women of color. It is great this initiative has spread to other colleges and universities.

Congratulations on a terrific video and an impactful, inspiring program! Your work on women of color in STEM higher ed overlaps with my own interests in many ways. What types of social justice projects do the students create for themselves? Do the students meet across the participating institutions? Thanks.

Great job and nice video! I like the idea of involving professional mentors.