When Cynthia Chapple went into the STEM fields, she noticed that not many people looked like her. In fact, Black women only make up about 2.9% of the STEM workforce nationally.
Chapple wanted to see more representation of her community, and wanted to encourage Black girls to enter a field that has for so long been dominated by white men. That led her eventually to launch her organization Black Girls Do Stem.
Through the organization, she seeks to help Black girls in middle and high school to "learn, create and build confidence in their abilities to become STEM professionals."
Chapple talked with KMOX's Debbie Monterrey about her organization and its goals.
"We just try to broadly expose them to very integrated ways of thinking about STEM," she said. "And how does robotics go with mathematics? And how is mathematics coupled with technology? And really give them broad exposure, so they can really start thinking about how it all comes together in the real world."
She said she also wants to create more Black women role models in STEM fields that young Black girls can look up to.
"That's powerful, the ability to know and engage and have relationship with someone who's doing something, it's very much more of like, you can see it, you can be it, and that inspires girls to believe that of themselves," Chapple said. "So it's a huge deal. And that's why we have a high focus on mentors within our organization."
Black Girls Do Stem recruits middle school girls between sixth and eight grades and works with them through high school. You can find out more on their website.
Hear more from Cynthia Chapple on her organization:
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