Unit 2 Draft Introduction

How has lack of representation for people of color contributed to the racial and gender gap within the STEM Fields?

Representation does not only affect how we see ourselves and others, but it also influences how we look at our future and the possibilities that await us. As early as I could remember I have always had this burning desire to find out everything and anything there is to know about outer space. Hearing this one would think that my dream job was to become an astronaut but that was not the case for me. Even though I did not want to go to space I still wanted something to do with it, so when I found out about Aerospace Engineering I was really intrigued. I remember I would watch every movie and video, read every book, and article and even look at pictures anything just to learn more about outer space. As I got older, I slowly started to lose interest in outer space, and I always thought that it was because I was exploring new things and it was just another interest that did not age well with time. However, now looking back with a more worldly and mature perspective, I realize that my sudden disinterest in the thing that made my heart skip several beats even when I was simply thinking about it, was caused by not seeing people who looked like me portrayed in the media. Lupita once said “Until I saw people who looked like me, I was not so sure [being an actress] was a possibility. My exact feeling as a kid but her actress is my Aerospace Engineer. When I started to notice that nearly all Aerospace engineers that I saw growing up did not look like me, this negatively impacted my self-esteem and self-worth making me feel inferior because of how I looked. For years, I look at life and my future with implicit bias, I would always limit my self-expectations and to fit what I thought was expected of me in the eyes of society.

However, with new experiences and surrounding myself with people who challenged my perspective, I slowly started to realize that I was so much more than my skin color. My newfound perspective evoked some burning questions that I needed to answer in order to give my childhood dreams a fair chance. I have always wondered what my life would be like if I was exposed to Aerospace Engineers who looked like me hence my research question “How has lack of representation for people of color contributed to the racial and gender gap within the STEM fields?” Other than wanting to know what role proper representation would play in bridging the racial and gender gap within the STEM fields. I also would like to know what contributed to the racial and gender gap within the STEM fields and what we as people of color and the government can do to ensure that everyone who wishes to enter any STEM field is provided with equal opportunities and has proper representation. Moreover, I am not opposed to finding a perspective or information that completely goes against what I expect to find during my research. Finding opposing information would not only make me more intrigued but it would also put things into perspective for me. Finding the root of the problem at hand is more important than proving a point. So, if opposing information leads to finding the truth and solving the problem, I will welcome it with open arms.

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