Issue: Many minoritized individuals like me - a Black woman from a Southern (USA) working class family- demonstrate modesty and humility in professional & adjacent settings as apart of our upbringing, mentoring & inter group socializations When folks like me wade into different “social waters” We have to be mindful of not insulting folks unintentionally by being snobbish (w/peers or those from lower class strata or getting too comfortable or big headed (w/peers or those from upper strata)

I’ll resume my Zoom Writing Group next week. Anyone interested in hosting their own daily or weekly writing blocks for Summer 2021 (or participating as a drop in writer) please respond to this tweet I'll be hosting Writing Blocks 8a-11a CST Tue Wed Thu
I've posted the skeleton schedule for summer 2021 (June 6-Aug 7 2021).

How it works: check in at top of the hour, then write until :55. Provide updates, quick break repeat. We mute ourselves (and video if you like)

A Dear Colleague Letter to White Women Scientists/Academics, from a Black Woman Scientist/Academic

aka. Come in and sit down, I have something I’ve been meaning to tell you So.....
(long pause, deep breath)
I love your energy and willingness to work and be available to mentor and assist jr Black Women STEM scholars.
I love how you aren’t afraid to show & speak up & out for them. That’s amazing use of your privilege

A love letter to jr Black Women in STEM, from middle career Black Woman...aka - note to my younger self Hey Love,

It’s been a tough time; and we haven’t really talked much lately.

(Long pause)

A lot has been going on. A LOT.

But I’ve been checking you..check ing you out and checking on you, too.

I’m chewing on some thoughts and feelings about ways white people, men & women, insert themselves and/or are sought out to become deflectors or enforcers in ways that create/deepen chasms within & among URMs in white dominate spaces/industries Jr scholars ABSOLUTELY should have diverse mentor armies that support, champion, introduce, and offer advise. It’s amazing when White & proximite colleagues assist URMs. That’s critical and important. Please also recognize the importance of giving hard truths, too

Organizing a BlackIn___ Week?
Listen, if you want it to be successful -raising awareness, connecting people..then follow the BluePrint @BlackAFinSTEM gave you. They set the game, fr fr
1. Collectively organize many folks
2. Create Daily themes for the week. Here's why.
Re: 1
the collective building is always ACE in book. You build better thought out plans and cultivate better considered goals
the focus is on the AMAZING number & professional diversity of Black Experts in that field
you can distribute info faster/more effectively

I offered students 10 popular science books to read, review & connect back to course content.
3 of of the titles were authored by Native American Environmental/Ecology Scientists. Most students read Dr D Wildcat's book followed by Dr. RW Kimmerer I'm pretty sure the motivation for reading those tomes had a lot to do with page length, but I'll take this as a win.
Offer students DecolonizeSTEM & BIPOC authored readings and if they are shorter in length...it's like moths to the flame y'all.

For American Indigenous peoples who are unfamiliar - Tariq Nasheed is a Hotep & charlaton intellectual who unfortunately has a huge following selling the idea of “pro-Blackness” packaged in black male superiority. He often just WRONG & his language is violent & offensive But....his ruminations are grounded in common Black culture/community experiences/mythos/legends, etc. AND that includes a LOT of Black Nationalism-derived historinics. So he’s tapping into collective memories if you will. KIM, memories can be false, manipulated