Cultivating New Futures for Girls in STEM: Black Women Teachers As Catalysts for Change

These compelling narratives illustrate how Black women educators cultivate inclusive, justice-centered STEM learning environments for K–12 students. Explore the powerful pedagogies and lived experiences of four Black women educators who challenge structural barriers to reimagine STEM education as a space of radical love, cultural sustainability, and justice. Grounded in a National Science Foundation–funded study, this volume documents how educators—through their stories, struggles, and triumphs—develop what the editors call Black STEMinist Pedagogies. These pedagogies center collective and communal responsibility, ancestral knowledge, and the healing power of teaching, offering a blueprint for how to recruit, support, and retain Black women teachers in STEM fields. Each chapter, authored by a diverse team of researchers, amplifies the voices of Black women teachers and affirms their role as knowledge producers and agents of transformation. By weaving together life histories, scholarly analysis, and classroom narratives, this book offers both inspiration and practical guidance for creating a future where girls of color thrive at the center of STEM learning. Book Features: Original Framework: Introduces the concept of Black STEMinist Pedagogies, an approach that combines Black Feminist Thought with culturally sustaining pedagogies in STEM. Rigorous Ethnographic Research: Draws from an NSF-funded mixed-methods study with first-person narratives that humanize data and provide nuanced insights into classroom practice and teacher identity. Teacher Training and Retention: Provides a critical resource for teacher preparation programs, education researchers, and policymakers seeking actionable strategies for equity in STEM. An Interdisciplinary Author Team: Written by a diverse team of Black, Brown, Indigenous, queer, and white scholars who bring layered perspectives, intersectional analysis, and reflexive methodology. User-Friendly Format: Features a narrative-driven style accessible to educators, students, and community members alike.