Investing In My Future: Helping Black Students Pick Up ‘STEAM’
Des Moines nonprofit, Investing In My Future, inspires middle and high schoolers during day-long workshop centered around science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.
I asked the high school junior what career sounded appealing to her.
The talkative girl stood before my assistant Shimae Obie and I. She clutched a list with names of the professionals and organizations she was required to visit during a career fair and expo by the nonprofit Investing In My Future, which held its fall STEAM workshop on Saturday at Des Moines Area Community College-Urban Campus.
I held a purple unicorn stamp ready to discuss journalism careers, listen and stamp her passport before she moved onto her next stop.
The young girl told me she wanted to be a nurse. Or maybe join the military and work in a medical career. Or she’d possibly attend college. She wasn’t sure but she didn’t want to be like her sisters. I asked why. She told me they were in their 20s, had children and had worked several different jobs.
Then she said maybe she’d get a job after high school and live on her own for a while. I thought about my dad as I encouraged her to graduate high school and follow her dreams of going to college or joining the military — right after graduation.
I told her there would be time — way too much — for work and responsibilities.
The nonprofit organization, founded by Mary Wells, president, and Syeta Glanton, vice president, invited me, as founder of Black Iowa News, to speak with students about journalism during the career fair and expo. Founded in 2010, the organization’s mission is to help Black children understand the value of education, navigate post-secondary education and careers and develop the children into leaders. It also hosts regular workshops and takes students on college tours, including to historically Black colleges and universities.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. The day-long event, attended by more than 60 students, also featured science and technology workshops. About 20 partners, businesses and organizations attended the event, including judges, youth mentors, CEOs, scientists and health care professionals.
As the students stopped to chat with us, I told them about Black Iowa News, and they impressed us with their career goals: neonatal nurse, dermatologist, lawyer, graphic design artist and computer scientist.
I never got around to talking about my career or journalism with the high school junior, but I listened to her and expressed my support. Looking around, I felt proud to be among Des Moines’ Black community — reinforcing the message: Black children’s futures matter.
Black Iowa Voter Guide
Black Iowa News produced the Black Iowa Voter Guide with a grant from the American Press Institute to provide important voter information to Black Iowans and showcase Black candidates. The guide was mailed to 8,000 Des Moines residents and distributed to local nonprofits, businesses and the Forest Avenue Library. Check out the guide online and don’t forget to vote on Nov. 8.
Thanks for elevating this important work.