I like to call myself a "Steminist"; a steminist is a female who advocates for the growth of women within the STEM field. In elementary school, I fell in love with STEM. Throughout elementary school, I was encouraged to be a geeky, nerdy girl. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for gifted learners. The school I was attending is identified as a title-one school. This means similar to me most of the students who would be attending the school came from low-income neighborhoods. Upon arrival, I noticed that I was around a lot more students who looked like me. However, STEM opportunities were no longer advertised or available. The lack of STEM opportunities caused issues as I had a hard time fitting in. One teacher specifically ensured that my transition would not be easy. Every day my English teacher instilled into my head that "black girls don't like stem" and that "I would be better off doing hair" instead. Her words often left me conflicted. Her actions allowed peers to bully me relentlessly as they were unaccustomed to seeing an African American female passionate about STEM. Being the curious person I am, I began to research statistics. I then learned that only 15% of the STEM field was composed of minority women. I wondered if the small percentage was due to a lack of opportunity and young girls having similar experiences. At this point, I knew that I wanted to make a change in my community. I then came up with my non-profit organization, ZincGirlz. ZincGirlz is a program designed to teach girls about STEM within title-one schools. Throughout the weeklong program, girls learn our "Three Big E's"; education, empowerment, and entertainment. On our education days, we complete STEM activities that show how STEM is involved in our everyday lives. I also inform the girls about higher education and possible careers that involve STEM. On our empowerment days, a licensed social worker comes in to talk to the girls about mental health, personal hygiene, and self-care. During these days we complete vision boards, find healthy coping mechanisms and provide the girls with a personal hygiene bag. On our final day, we complete a community service activity as well as have a party to celebrate becoming a Zinc Girl. It is important that I continue to offer these services to young African American women to aid in closing the gender gap between minority women and their counterparts. While continuing to work with my non-profit organization, I plan on working towards a degree in Biology on a pre-medical track with a minor in entrepreneurship. With this degree, I plan to go to medical school to eventually become an Emergency Physician or a Flight surgeon for NASA. With my minor in entrepreneurship, I plan on opening my own practice in underserved communities that allows any and everyone to receive safe and comprehensive care where any and everyone feels accepted. The devastation of not having equal access or representation in STEM has taught me that I have to be what I am looking for in the STEM field. With this degree, I will be the representation for young minority girls that proves they are just as capable as their white counterparts.

I like to call myself a "Steminist"; a steminist is a female who advocates for the growth of women within the STEM field. In elementary school, I fell in love with STEM. Throughout elementary school, I was encouraged to be a geeky, nerdy girl. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for gifted learners. The school I was attending is identified as a title-one school. This means that most of the students who attend the school come from impoverished neighborhoods. Upon arrival, I noticed that I was around a lot more students who looked like me. However, STEM opportunities were no longer advertised or available. A lack of STEM opportunities caused issues as I had a hard time fitting in, developed a lack of motivation, and felt isolated and alone. I then learned that only 15% of the STEM field was composed of minority women. I wondered if the small percentage was due to a lack of opportunity. At this point, I knew that I wanted to make a change in my community. I then came up with my non-profit organization, ZincGirlz. ZincGirlz is a program designed to teach girls about STEM within title-one schools. Throughout the weeklong program, girls learn our "Three Big E's"; education, empowerment, and entertainment. On our education days, we complete STEM activities that show how STEM is involved in our everyday lives. I also inform the girls about higher education and possible careers that involve STEM. On our empowerment days, a licensed social worker comes in to talk to the girls about mental health, personal hygiene, and self-care. During these days we complete vision boards, find healthy coping mechanisms and provide the girls with a personal hygiene bag. On our final day, we complete a community service activity as well as have a party to celebrate becoming a Zinc Girl. While continuing to work with my non-profit organization, I plan on working towards a degree in Biology on a pre-medical track with a minor in entrepreneurship. With this degree, I plan to go to medical school to eventually become an Emergency Physician or a Flight surgeon for NASA. With my minor in entrepreneurship, I plan on opening my own practice in underserved communities that allows any and everyone to receive safe and comprehensive care where no one feels discriminated against. The devastation of not having equal access or representation in STEM has taught me that I have to be what I am looking for in the STEM field. With this degree, I will be the representation for young minority girls that proves they are just as capable as their white counterparts.

During elementary school, I won a lottery to attend a small charter school in an affluent section of Norfolk, VA. My elementary school was filled with diversity, supportive staff, and most importantly STEM opportunities that kept me engaged and curious. My mind was fueled and my love for STEM continued to evolve. By my fifth grade, STEM, especially science, had become my greatest academic area of interest. For middle school, I selected the Young Scholars Program, as it was designed for gifted learners. Students accepted into this 3-year program maintained a rigorous course load and worked at an accelerated pace. Additionally, The program was hosted at a Title-1 school which meant they received the most funding and schooled a high population of students from low socioeconomic communities. I embraced this new opportunity yet I was quickly disillusioned. There were very few STEM opportunities, and I was no longer encouraged to be smart. Two teachers left everlasting impacts on my life. In addition to my English teacher drilling into my head that “Black girls don’t like STEM”. Peers were not used to seeing girls who shared my love of science. I was bullied daily and called, “the ugly geeky black girl” more times than imaginable. Their words left me depressed and conflicted. On the other hand, my science teacher was one of the few faces that I always looked forward to seeing each day. He encouraged me, alongside my family, to remain focused and dream no matter what anyone else said. Upon researching, I learned that there was a growing gap between minority women and their counterparts in STEM. I couldn't help but feel that this was due to girls having similar experiences during their early educational years. I realized that I never wanted another girl to experience the same emotions and struggles that I encountered during middle school. Therefore, the summer after my last year of middle school, I founded my own non-profit organization, ZincGirlz, where inner-city girls explore STEM, foster their inner beauty, and learn the importance of higher education and community stewardship. In the following years, I traveled to many Title-1 schools and underserved communities. In addition to mentoring roughly 250 girls, I have provided numerous care packages filled with hygiene items for girls, volunteered countless hours speaking on the importance of representation and women’s rights, and worked hard to close the STEM racial and gender gap by providing others the opportunity to become aware that STEM is for anyone. During high school, my teachers urged me to ponder more. I slowly started feeling comfortable dreaming again. One day during chemistry class, my teacher asked, how much do you rely on Zinc? My classmates answered by explaining how much our bodies needed it which sparked an interesting conversation. Although I knew the answer, I never answered that question. However, after much thought, I had a new understanding. I had originally named my non-profit ZincGirlz because my nickname is Zarie, it was geared towards girls, and I wanted a component of science included in its name. However, at that moment, I remembered how essential Zinc was in the human body from warding off illnesses to healing wounds. ZincGirlz continues to be an integral form of healing disparities within the STEM field. I take great pride in the small piece of healing that I’ve offered to the world. Without ZincGirlz and STEM, I am not sure where I would be today. Yet, I know that it will continue to foster other girls’ dreams, the exact way that it did for me, more and more each year.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez once said, "We open doors so others can walk through them," this quote has stuck with me from the moment it was posted as a caption. As a female who is interested in advocating for the underrepresented and unheard, this quote inspired me. I like to call myself a "Steminist"; a steminist is a female who advocates for the growth of women within the STEM field. In elementary school, I fell in love with STEM. Throughout elementary school, I was encouraged to be a geeky, nerdy girl. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for gifted learners. The school I was attending is identified as a title-one school. This means that most of the students who attend the school come from impoverished neighborhoods. Upon arrival, I noticed that I was around a lot more students who looked like me. However, STEM opportunities were no longer advertised or available. A lack of STEM opportunities caused issues as I had a hard time fitting in, developed a lack of motivation, and felt isolated and alone. I then learned that only 15% of the STEM field was composed of minority women. I wondered if the small percentage was due to a lack of opportunity. At this point, I knew that I wanted to make a change in my community. I then came up with my non-profit organization, ZincGirlz. ZincGirlz is a program designed to teach girls about STEM within title-one schools. Throughout the weeklong program, girls learn our "Three Big E's"; education, empowerment, and entertainement. On our education days we complete STEM activities that show how STEM is involved in our everyday lives. I also inform the girls about higher education, and possible careers that involve STEM. On our empowerment days, a licensed social worker comes in to talk to the girls about mental health, personal hygiene, and self care. During these days we complete vision boards, find healthy coping mechanisms, and provide the girls with a personal hygiene bag. On our final day we complete a community service activity as well as have a party to celebrate becoming a Zinc Girl. AOC's quote continues to inspire and motivate me as a change agent. I know that it is my responsibility to open the door and expose these girls to STEM. By doing so, I am allowing them to freely walk through and become change agents in the world. This quote inspires me to open as many doors as possible so that I can aid in the closure of the gender gap within the STEM field. Whenever I am reminded of this quote, it is made obvious that I am capable of educating young minorty girls about STEM. The quote reminds me that although it may be challenging to provide for others I am creating a ripple effect that will effect future generations. That is why AOC's quote continues to be a motivating factor within my life.