Racism in STEM: Addressing Disparities and Promoting Equity, High school final essays of English

Download Racism in STEM: Addressing Disparities and Promoting Equity and more High school final essays English in PDF only on Docsity! Responses to 10 Common Criticisms of Anti-Racism Action in STEM Table of Contents About this document 1."There is no evidence of systemic racism in STEM and academia." 2."Don't politicize science! Stick to the science, not social issues!" 3."I'm not racist, so I don't need to do anything." 4."Lonly hire/award/cite based on merit; I don't need to consider race." 5."There just aren't as many BIPOC who want to workin STEM." 6."Diversity initiatives are unfair to non-minority students/faculty; it's reverse discrimination" 7. "Education is the great equalizer." 8. "I don't agree with racist sentiments, but people should be allowed to debate." g."Focusing on anti-Black racism ignores the experiences of other marginalized groups." 10."Improving racial equity and inclusivity does not benefit STEM as whole." Conclusion and Call to Action 7 on KW 13 16 18 20 22 24 26 Authors and Reviewers Authors Maya Gosztyla - Graduate Student, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego Lydia Kwong - MA Bioethics and Science Policy, Duke University (2018) Naomi Murray - Student, Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, University of California, Davis Claire Williams - BS Biochemistry, Northeastern University (2020) Reviewers Nicholas Behnke - BS Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University (2018) Kevin D. Corbett - Faculty, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego Karen DSouza - Graduate Student, Department of Clinical and Translational Sciences Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic Dr. Julia Gala de Pablo - Postdoctoral Researcher Joanina Gicobi - Graduate Student, Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic Dr. Monica Javidnia - Faculty, Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Navina Lotay - Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto Sidney Madison Prescott - Graduate Student, Executive Women’s MBA Cohort, Women’s College, Brenau University Dr.James P. Quinn - Research Fellow, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Zeena M. G. Rivera, Graduate Student, Neurosciences Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles Markia A. Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Karen T. Y. Tang, Graduate Student, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University Aarya Venkat, Graduate Student, Department of Biochemistry, University of Georgia Megan A. Yamoah - BS Physics and Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2020) 1 anonymous reviewer The authors and reviewers of this document do not represent the views of their universities or employers. are substantially lower than their white counterparts at all educational levels, even when controlling for differences in field of occupation, experience, and degree-granting institution [14], [15]. The existence of racism in STEM does not only impact students and scientists. Science has a long history of mistreating Black people and other minorities as research subjects. This is evidenced by the experimental surgeries on Black enslaved women (without anesthesia) by “the father of modern gynecology” J. Marion Sims, the unconsenting and deceptive derivation and dissemination of tissue from Henrietta Lacks to create the HeLa cell line, and the blatant disregard of life and lack of consent from patients infected and untreated in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, among others [16]. The legacy of this unethical research is still felt today, as it contributes to prevalent distrust of the medical and scientific communities by BIPOC [17]. This distrust, combined with inadequate efforts to recruit BIPOCas research subjects, means that BIPOC are underrepresented among clinical trial participants and. other human research cohorts [18], [19], [20]. Asa result, the benefits of our research are not distributed equally; since the large majority of research subjects and tissue donors are white (even for many diseases that disproportionately affect BIPOC), biomedical research often has reduced relevance for BIPOC [19], [20]. For medical research to apply to ethnic minorities, health and research institutions must build trust with minorities in order to encourage participation [21]. Medical professionals today still discriminate based on false beliefs about race which can directly impact patient care. 40% of medical students reportedly believed that Black people's skin is thicker than white people's. Students who held these false beliefs rated Black patients’ pain lower than white patients’ and made less accurate treatment recommendations [22]. Additionally, medical students are not taught to identify symptoms that may present differently on darker skin. When health care professionals diagnose medical conditions by the presence of rashes, skin becoming pale, or lips turning blue, BIPOC patients may be overlooked in initial screenings; their quality of care is lower even before treatment because their symptoms are less likely to be recognized [23]. Racial bias in medicine not only exacerbates distrust of biomedical research, but also entrenches systemic healthcare disparities between racial and ethnic groups [24], [25]. The existence of both individual and systemic racism within STEM institutions, as well as the role of scientists and medical professionals in perpetuating broader systems of racial inequity, have been thoroughly documented. It is our responsibility as scientists to acknowledge this body of evidence, take action to promote racial equity in our workplaces, and examine the impacts of our research on society. Sources [1] An open letter: Scientists and racial j [2] Blacksin STEM jobs are espe [10] Five Years of Tec! [11] How gendei y Re and Little Progress (Wired, 2019), cement of scholars in Professors’ biased e lates (Sex Roles, 2019) [12] Race, ethnicity, [13] Women from some under-represented minoritie: candid nd NIH researc] [4] Race, gender, and bodily experiences with white students in the college classroom (The Journal of Higher world’s largest Earth-science conference (Nature, 2019) Education, 2011) [14] Bac and beyond: A look at the employment and edu [5] (Re)Defining departure: Exploring black professors’ experiences with and tment of Educ re given too few talks responses tor. [6] Underg1 Science Board, duate 2018) ch Centre) [16] Research ethics timeline (National Institute of nmental Health ) able of doctorate Sclences,2020) [17] More than Tuskegee: Understanding Mistrust about Research Participation P (Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 2010) selective (Zournal of Community Genetics, 2017) [19] Impact of limited population diversity on genome-wide association studies (Genetics in Medicine 2010) [20] Best strategies to recruit and enroll elderly Blacks into clinical and biomedical research (Cl ns in Aging, 201: [21] More minorities needed in clinical trials to make research relevant to all (Association of American Medical Colleges, 2016) [22] Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites (PNAS, 2016) [23] Mind the handbook of ns on black and brown skin (St of Londo | Intervent 0) 6 [24] Health, United States, 2015: With special feature on racial and ethnic health z ational Center for Health Statistics, 2015), [25] How we fail black patients in pain (Association of American Medical Colleges, 2020) [26] U.S. Census Quick Facts (2019) {American Institute of Physics, 2014) [28] American Society for Engineering Education, 2018 {29] Statistical abstract of undergraduate programs in the mathematical sciences in the United States (Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences, 2005) visit the AntiRacismInSTEM site for a compilation of further reading on this topic "Don't politicize STEM! Stick to the science, not social issues." Scientific research is influenced by societal values and priorities. Scientists are people, which means that their opinions, biases, and beliefs will be present in STEM workspaces — that makes science inherently political [4]. In addition, many scientific studies deal with politicized subject matter due to the implications of their findings (i.e., climate science and COVID-19) [2]. Scientific findings that have direct and immediate societal, health, or safety implications frequently require the recruitment of political institutions out of ethical concern. The goal of activism in science is to use data-backed claims to support understanding, awareness, and action in the public, political, and governmental spheres. This does not interfere with the rigor of scientific claims. If scientists avoid communicating the far-reaching implications of their science for public health and safety in an effort to solely avoid politicization, this is an ethical failing [2]. Additionally, in nearly all countries, especially the U.S., scientific research is inherently involved in politics, and public perception and support of science are divided by party affiliation [3]. This is noteworthy, as historically a quarter or greater of science funding in the U.S. (and half of all funding for basic research) comes from government agencies [4]. The U.S. scientific funding landscape changes with changing political party representation. In response to this, universities and scientific societies have historically lobbied in support of increased scientific funding [5]. The relationship between governmental funding, influence of science on public policy, and lobbying on behalf of scientific interests further positions science in the political realm. Beyond institutions, scientific theories have also been used to justify racism by manufacturing biological differences between races, such as the division of human beings into racial taxa by Carl Linnaeus or the co- opting of Darwinist principles by eugenicists [6], [7]. This phenomenon is not relegated to the past; even today, genetic research is often co-opted by white supremacist groups, misrepresented, and weaponized in support of racist ideas [8], [9]. The biological sciences are not unique in perpetuating racism. For example, machine learning models are frequently built using racially biased datasets [10]. This has led to widely-used. algorithms (including for facial recognition or criminal recidivism) that are less accurate for BIPOC, perpetuating systemic racism in the criminal justice system [11], [12], [13]. Scientists are responsible for generating data and interpreting results that direct the course of many aspects of society. We have a responsibility to confront both our own biases and those present in the scientific literature in order to ensure that the data and guidance we produce is not perpetuating or enabling inequality. We must hold ourselves and our peers accountable, not only in issues of scientific integrity, but in issues of ethical integrity. Sources [1] How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X, Kendi (NYT Bestseller), [2] Wewantto do more than survive: Aboli educational freedom, by Bettina Love (2019) [5] Being Antiracist (National Museum of African American History and Culture) [4] the time tax put on scientists of color (Nature, 2020) [5] Tips for easing the service burden on scientists from underrepresented groups (AAAS Letters to Young Scientists, 2019) jonist teaching and the pursuit of [6] Underrepresented faculty play a disproportionate role in advancing diversity and inclusion ology and Evolution, 2019) 10 choice contributes to the lower rates of NIH. America/black scientists (Science Advances,2019), [8] Why Should We All Be Cultural Psychologists? Lessons From the Study of Social Cos [9] Anterior frontal lobe tracks the formation of prejudice (Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience,2017) [10] STEM faculty who believe ability is fixed have larger racial achievement tion in their classes (Science Advances, gaps.and inspire less student moti 2019) visit the AntiRacismInSTEM site for a compilation of further reading on this topic "| only hire/award/cite based on merit; | do not need to consider race.” Arguments that support the objective consideration of merit without the overarching context of external factors are often weaponized against diversity efforts. One recent example is an opinion piece by Tomas Hudlicky that was published (and quickly retracted) in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie [1], [2]. Hudlicky argued that the consideration of factors besides “merit” will result in candidates from underrepresented groups being chosen over more qualified candidates, thereby compromising scientific progress. (He also felt that such initiatives place non-minority candidates at an unfair disadvantage; this topic is discussed in response #6.) Hudlicky’s argument and others like it rely on the assumption that academia is a meritocracy, wherein factors such as grades, awards, and publications depend solely on talent and effort, and therefore we can use these metrics to objectively select the best candidate. In reality, success in academia is highly influenced by factors outside one’s control, including race, ethnicity, class, and gender (among many other things) [1]. Students of color are subject to both explicit and implicit acts of racial discrimination, which add an extra barrier to their success. The stress of everyday racism contributes to a heavier cognitive load for BIPOC, which is associated with both mental and physical illnesses, as well as reduced academic productivity [4], [5]. In addition, the wage gap (and even more so, the wealth gap) between white people and BIPOC in the U.S. means that students of color are less likely to have financial support from their families during college [6]. The median net worth of white households is 10 times that of Black households and 8 times that of Hispanic households [7]. Even among households with the same annual income, the wealth of white households greatly exceeds that of Black and Hispanic households [7]. This is because wealth takes into account the sum ofa household's total assets, including investments and real estate. Wealth accumulates over generations via gifts and inheritances. The racial wealth gap represents the legacy of slavery in the U.S. and subsequent racist practices such as Jim Crow laws, redlining, and mass Median Net Worth of U.S. Households incarceration. These forces have prevented Black 7 ‘ernetanx| AMericans from accumulating generational wealth Hispenic/atinx os while offering white Americans a 400-year head start [8]. Low Income $7,900 The wealth gap can limit the ability of students of color to pursue undergraduate research, internships, Black $5,000 whit and other unpaid opportunities in STEM, or to accept ite $154,400 low-paying positions as graduate students or postdocs. Hispanic/Latinx The wealth gap is also closely linked to why BIPOC tend Middle Income $46,000 to score lower on standardized tests, including the GRE Bleck and SAT: individuals who identify as BIPOC may have fewer opportunities to enroll in expensive preparatory Figure 2. Median Net Worth of U.S. Households [7] i j ‘The white and Black categories only include individuals who are not classes or to take required entrance exams multiple multiracial or of Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity. The high income category +. * contained an insufficient numberof Black and Hispanie/Latinx households. times [9]. In these ways, the racial wealth gap prevents tobe analyzed separately. a truly meritocratic system in STEM from existing by placing disproportionate barriers on BIPOC [3]. 11 12 More broadly, the criteria that define “merit” possess inherent bias. For instance, research that focuses on systemic healthcare disparities (which is more commonly pursued by Black than white researchers) is rated as less impactful by NIH grant reviewers, despite its critical importance for biomedical research [10]. Furthermore, the publications of Black scientists tend to have fewer coauthors and receive fewer citations, suggesting that Black scientists may face barriers to establishing professional networks [11]. Judging applicants on “soft skills” can also perpetuate racial bias. BIPOC at Big Tech companies are frequently perceived by their employers as not fitting in with the “workplace culture.” In many cases, BIPOC report that this perception arose from coworkers excluding them from social interactions [12]. Race-conscious decision-making does not compromise our ability to select the best candidate fora position - in fact, it is quite the opposite. If our goal is to select the most talented and hard-working candidate, then we must account for the external factors that could impair an individual's efforts from translating into standardized measures of success. Individuals who claim they are “color-blind” or “don’t see race” for the sake of upholding a nonexistent meritocracy are perpetuating the discriminatory status quo by failing to acknowledge the systemic inequities facing BIPOC [13]. We do not live ina post-racial era where race has no implications. While race itself is a social construct, the racially-centered policies and organizational structures that frame our world are real. To quote Ibram X Kendi, “To be anti-racist is to focus on ending the racism that shapes the mirages, not to ignore the mirages that shape people's lives” [14]. Sources [1] Eom scientists to scientists-Moving Angewandte into the future [8] America's Memphis, 2019) [9] New GRE data illustrate tends on future grad students (Inside Higher Ed, 2013) choice contributes to the lower r: aided by a 40-year head start (MLK5O acial wealth gap wa: {Angewandte Chemie, ) [5] A is nota meritocr [4] Stress and the men understanding of race-related stressors (Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 2018) [5]_Stressing out: Connecti (The Journal of Higher Ed [6] Examining the BI discrimination? , sm and the persistence of nd stress with f —AE ——“w—uwuaw'—' [14] How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (NYT Bestseller) ck-white w visit the AntiRacismInSTEM site for a compilation of further reading on this topic (27) Leaving STEM: STEM Ph.D. holders in non-STEM careers (American Institutes for Research, 2014) [18] Exploring identity-safety cues and allyship among Black women students in STEM environments, hology of Women. [19] Don’t leave us behind”: The importance of mentoring for underrepresented tional Research Journal, 2015) of color at highly selective institutions: A school of education case study (Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 2011) visit the AntiRacismInSTEM 16 and benefits to increasing the (21) Institutional barriers, strategies, representation of women and men of color in the professoriate (Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, 2020) [22] Black Scientists: a history of exclusion (Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 1998) [23] Discriminatory organizational contexts and Black scientists on postsecond [24] Ag Personal stion of belonging: and Social Psycholog) ‘e for a compilation of further reading on this topic 16 "Diversity initiatives are unfair to non-minority students/faculty; it's reverse discrimination." The belief that race-conscious policies place the majority group at an unfair disadvantage is not rare. 57% of white Americans believe that white people face the same degree of racial discrimination as BIPOC, compared to only 29% of Black Americans and 38% of Hispanic Americans [1]. Belief in anti-white bias has been steadily increasing among white Americans since the civil rights movement [2]. This mindset stems from viewing racial equity and tolerance as a “zero sum game,” where more rights for BIPOC must come at the expense of white people’s rights [2]. The idea of white victimhood remains a central tenet of modern white supremacist groups [3]. Initiatives that promote racial justice and equity in STEM are not a barrier to white scientists; rather these programs are designed to partially remove a systemic barrier that has been placed on scientists from underrepresented groups. Ibram X. Kendi discusses this idea in How to Be an Antiracist [4]. Kendi argues that racial discrimination itself is not inherently racist; the question is whether the consideration of one’s race perpetuates inequity or equity. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun described it in this way: “In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently.” These initiatives are created to address long-standing barriers to entry and inequity in the STEM and academic workplace (discussed further in response #5). Temporarily assisting an underrepresented racial group to achieve equity is not the same thing as perpetuating inequality of wealth and power of the over-represented group [1]. In fact, the concern that minority students are overrepresented in funding is contradicted by data showing that white students are still more likely than Black, Hispanic/Latinx, or Asian students to receive merit-based scholarships. One report found that white students receive 76% of institutional merit-based awards, despite making up only 62% of the student population [5]. Another study reported a similar trend: 16.4% of all white undergraduates are supported by at least one merit-based award, compared to only 11.6% of Black undergraduates and 8.1% of Hispanic/Latinx undergraduates [6]. Race-conscious university admissions policies have been shown to promote proportional representation of BIPOC without causing under- representation of white students [7]. Even the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program, which has an explicit goal of increasing diversity in STEM, still awards 80% of its fellowships to white applicants [8]. Finally, an important part of what makes discrimination harmful is an associated power dynamic that allows the discriminator to stifle the victim. Considering that white students and faculty have maintained an exclusive community within higher education for centuries (the legacy of which still negatively impacts BIPOC), it is impossible for actions taken by and for BIPOC to amount to “reverse racism” within academia — they do not have the same powers of oppression [9], [10], [14]. Sources [1] White Republicans think whites, blacks, and Hispanics face about the same amount of discrimination (‘The Washinton Post,2019), [2] Whites see racism asa zero-sum game that they are now losing (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2011) [3 1he victim ideology of white supremacists and white separatists in the ted States (Sociological Focus, 2000) [4] How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (NYT Bestseller) [5] The Distribution of Grants and Scholarships by Race [6] Meritaid for undergraduates: Trends from 1995-96 to 2007-08 (U.S. Department of Edu 17 [7] Here’s what happens when you ban affirmative action in college admissions (EiveThirtyEight 2015), [8] Evaluation of the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research llowship Program (NORG [9] ‘Reverse racism” (Alber ) [10] “Che c-word” meets “the n-word’: The slur-once-removed and the discursive construction of “reverse racism’ (Linguistic Anthropology, 2018) [11] Being White: Stories of Race and visit the AntiRacismInSTEM site for a compilation of further reading on this topic 20 "| don't agree with racist statements, but people should be allowed to express opinions and debate." The view that racist statements should be permitted as not only a matter of free speech, but of scholarly debate, stems from a position of privilege. White people have the privilege of being able to discuss and debate racism as a detached scholarly exercise because they are not directly harmed by racism. In contrast, BIPOC have to bear the mental load of racism as a constant force in their lives; racism is not some theoretical concept, but a concrete reality, which precludes an emotionless debate. BIPOC should never be forced to explain and defend their lived experiences and racial trauma for the sake of “debate.” Expressing racist opinions creates a hostile environment for BIPOC, which is detrimental to their mental and physical health and success [1], [2]. Such expressions are an example of racial microaggressions (discussed in response #1), which reinforce themes such as “You do not belong,” “You are intellectually inferior,” and “You are abnormal” [2]. This messaging, whether covert or overt, compounds to produce an environment that can negatively impact physiological responses, self-esteem, and quality of life for BIPOC [3], [4]. Perceptions of racial discrimination are related to increased rates of stress, depressive symptoms, and long-term physical health effects [5]. A truly tolerant community or workplace cannot abide by the perpetuation of racist actions or sentiments. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly signed a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to Article 1 of this document and the collective agreement of the signers and their endorsing nations, the humanity and dignity of all people is simply not up for debate [6]. In 1995, the UN also released a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance, which proclaims that tolerance is not only a moral imperative, buta political and legal requirement [7]. The declaration notes that “the practice of tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice.” This clause upholds Karl Popper's “paradox of tolerance” — the idea that being completely tolerant of all ideas will allow the emergence of intolerant groups which, if left unchecked, will in turn stifle and destroy the entire framework of tolerance that permitted their formation [8]. To act in accordance with these ideas, racist sentiments cannot be tolerated; they perpetuate discrimination and injustice, which threaten a tolerant society. In addition to its direct harm against scientists of color, humoring debates about the existence of racism can serve to legitimize racist opinions. By engaging in “scholarly” debates with racists, we acknowledge their views as worthy of attention and discussion. This carries particular weight for scientists, who are perceived as intellectual or moral authority figures by many members of the public [9], [10]. Arguments that claim the nonexistence of racism are simply not worthy of debate, as their opinions are not only hateful, but also blatantly incorrect in the face ofa large body of research (see response #1) To illustrate this point, let us consider a historical case study. By the mid-twentieth century, a large body of evidence demonstrated the dangers of cigarettes and public health organizations launched ad campaigns to discourage smoking. Ina desperate attempt to maintain revenues, the tobacco industry invoked the Fairness Doctrine, insisting that mainstream broadcasting services were required to present both sides of the “smoking debate" in a way that was honest and balanced. Pushing industry pseudoscience onto major television and radio channels legitimized their inaccurate claims and sowed seeds of doubt against Sources (2] Racism and Mental Health: the African-American Experience (Ethnicity and Health, 2000) [2] Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice (American Psychologist, 2007) [3] Effect of ethnic group membership on ethnic identity, race-related stress, and quality of life (Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 2002) [4] Phe adverse impact of racial microaggressions on college students’ self- esteem (Journal of College Student Development, 2014) [5] Racial Microaggressionsand Psychological Functioning Among Highly Achieving African-Americans: A Mixed-Methods Approach (Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2010) visit the AntiRacismInSTEM site for a compilation of further reading on this topic [6] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1948 [7] United Nations Declaration of Principles on Tolerance, 1995 [s]The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945) [9] Trust honesty, and the authority of science (Society's Choices: Social and Ethical Decision Making in Biomedicine, 1995) [10] Most Americans have positive image of research scientists, but fewer see them as good communicators (Pew Research Center,2019) [11] Merchants of Doubt, by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway 22 "Focusing on anti-Black racism ignores the experiences of other marginalized groups." Black scientists are the focus of many STEM diversity and inclusion initiatives in the current moment. This is due in part to several recently documented instances of police brutality against Black people, which have sparked conversations on anti- Blackness within academia. These initiatives do not overshadow nor compete with efforts to combat sexism, ableism, or discrimination against other underrepresented groups. Initiatives that focus on anti-Black racism simply intend to address a specific, prevalent form of racism within STEM. Discrimination is not monolithic, and members of different racial identities experience racism ina multitude of ways [1]. As such, addressing all forms of racism at once is not always helpful. In some cases, conflating different racial groups’ experiences of racism can cause direct harm, as in the case of the “model minority” myth that has been used to drive a wedge between Black and Asian American communities [2], [3]. Instead of viewing racism one-dimensionally, we must educate ourselves on the unique experiences of different racial and ethnic groups so that we can understand their historical and modern contexts. One factor that influences the experience of racism is colorism, a form of prejudice in which people with lighter skin are treated more preferentially than people with darker skin [4]. Colorism exists both within and across racial groups. For example, immigrants of any racial identity with lighter skin color earn more than immigrants with darker skin [5], and the resumés of lighter-skinned Black men are preferred over darker- skinned Black men [6]. Colorism illustrates the fact that white supremacy and colonialism are built on anti- Blackness. As such, anti-Blackness serves as the basis to uphold many other forms of discrimination [7]. The concept of intersectionality is also relevant to this discussion. Intersectionality is a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how multiple aspects of one’s identity (such as race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual identity, class, culture, and age) contribute to compounding experiences of discrimination [8]. In studies of intersectional inequity, racism dominates other aspects of identity in explaining instances of discrimination [9]. This does not mean that racism is the only aspect of identity that matters, nor does it mean that race is always the most important aspect of identity in any given case. Rather, it means that race remains an important lens through which to consider the compounded and intersectional experiences of BIPOC. Thus intersectionality is not only a descriptor, but serves to both explain these Median Annual Earnings by Race and Gender compounding experiences and to unite movements for anti- discrimination across group lines [9]. $61,576 360,000 Seas By confronting anti-Blackness, validating it, and exploring $48,390 . p $44,386 its effects, we can better understand how racism and other oi $40,000 $38,036 forms of discrimination compound to produce inequality [9]. For example, any discussion of the gender wage gap is incomplete without considering intersectionality with race. $20,000 White women earn 79 cents for every dollar earned by white men, but Hispanic, Native American, and Black women earn only 54, 57, or 62 cents, respectively [10]. Figure 3. Median Annual Earnings by Race and Gender [13] ‘The white and Black categories do not include multiracial or Hispanic/Latinx individua is from individuals over age 15, employed full-time forat least 50 weeks of the year. Error bars represent standard error. 25 the EJ movement frames climate change through a lens of personal impact, driven by grassroots organizing focused on addressing the effects of environmental racism on individuals and communities of color [7]. The EJ movement exemplifies why the inclusion of BIPOC in STEM is so crucial. Academics and. institutions, in ignoring the experiences and opinions of the people who are most affected by these issues, may continue to perpetuate perceived solutions that do not adequately address minority community needs. More concerning yet, by ignoring present issues in representation and diversity, science may produce outputs that exclude groups or perpetuate racism in society. Examples of this range from soap dispensers which are unable to recognize the presence of darker-skinned hands [14] to artificial intelligence algorithms that perpetuate racial prejudice in the criminal justice system (discussed in response #2). A diversity of voices can help scientists to foster effective communication, design unbiased solutions, put forth just policy recommendations, and effectively recruit and engage public audiences [9]. [1] Groups of diverse problem solvers can outperform groups of high-ability [8] Diversity and the Future of the US Environmental Movement, (Yale School of problem solvers (PNAS, 2004) Forestry and Environmental Studies, 2007) [2] Thedive 7 [9] How Americans see climate change and the environmentin7 charts (Pew. [5] Zhe preeminence of ethnic diversity in scientific collaboration (Nature Research Center, 2020), pfor the Cli trust and climate change tisk perception in 35 countries (Global Environmental Change, 2018) Responses to Cl and George Mason University, 2010) Communications, 201) [4] Cancer statistics for African Americans, 2019 (CA: A Cancer Journal for Glinicians, 8.2019) from 2001 to 2008 (Environmental Health, 2009), 1987 [6] CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Provisional Death Counts for 987, {13] Environmental Justice Timeline (US EPA), Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)( CDC, 2020) [7] Everybody's movement: Environment (Environmental support Genter, 2009) 020) [14] Bigotry encoded: Racial bias in technology (RIT Reporter, 2019) Justice and Climate Change visit the AntiRa mInSTEM site for a compilation of further reading on this topic 26 Conclusion and Call to Action Both individual and systemic racism are major barriers for BIPOC in STEM. Inequity in STEM limits scientific innovation and upholds the broader structures of racial discrimination that exist beyond STEM. Even in the absence of racist intent, non-BIPOC faculty, administration, and students perpetuate racial discrimination through their inaction. It is our moral responsibility to leverage our position of privilege and become actively anti-racist. Self-education is a necessary first step. See our website (as well as the citations throughout this document) for many resources to learn about the historical and modern contexts of racial discrimination. Educating ourselves, however, is only the first step towards anti-racist action. To move beyond passive “learning and listening,” we must hold ourselves, our colleagues, and our institutions accountable for promoting racial equity in concrete ways. Many BIPOC have written extensively about steps to address racism in STEM. A few of these calls to action are outlined below, and are described in greater detail in the cited resources. Hire more faculty of color. This requires actively seeking out BIPOC candidates and ensuring that the hiring process does not place BIPOC ata disadvantage, particularly through the implicit biases of the hiring committee members [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. Cluster hiring, which involves advertising multiple positions simultaneously without specifying the fields, is one strategy that shows promise for improving faculty diversity [7]. In the long-term, increasing faculty diversity also requires efforts to address racial barriers that arise earlier in the educational pipeline, such as the increased likelihood for BIPOC in STEM undergraduate majors to switch majors or drop out [8], [9]. Create a welcoming environment for BIPOC. Institutions frequently prioritize recruitment over retention, which ends up doing more harm than good. It is irresponsible to recruit faculty or students of color into an unsupportive culture. Fostering an inclusive workplace culture is a complex task and must be constantly maintained to ensure retention of BIPOC. This includes providing faculty and students with diversity and inclusivity training, defending BIPOC against microaggressions, offering outlets for the negative experiences of BIPOC to be heard and addressed, hiring BIPOC mental health providers, and promptly removing individuals who create an unsafe or hostile environment for BIPOC [4], [2], [5], [20], [21]. Listen to BIPOC colleagues and believe them. BIPOC who raise complaints about racial microaggressions or point out instances of structural racism are frequently disregarded for being “overly sensitive” and “making everything about race.” If BIPOC say that they have experienced racial discrimination, we must believe them and take steps to address the problem. Furthermore, individuals against whom these complaints are frequently raised should be removed from their positions of authority, and not have their behavior excused with “that’s just how they are’ or “they don’t mean to offend” [2], [12]. Remove the disproportionate service burden for BIPOC. BIPOC who take on diversity and inclusion projects should be fairly compensated for their labor, and such efforts should be recognized during decisions for hiring, promotion, and awards. Furthermore, non-BIPOC should step up to shoulder more of the workload for diversity committees and other unpaid service burdens. Note that this does not mean that white scientists should insert themselves into positions of leadership to the exclusion of BIPOC; when BIPOC organizers are present, allies should listen to their ideas and volunteer to contribute where help is needed. Non-BIPOG who participate in diversity initiatives should prioritize listening to BIPOC colleagues and trainees to ensure that their needs are being heard and solutions are oriented towards their benefit [2], [13], [14]. 27 Allocate funding at the institutional level toward diversity initiatives. These may include scholarships and travel grants for students of color, BIPOC mentorship and professional development programs, seminars highlighting the research of BIPOC, and diversity training courses for faculty and students. Hire experts in diversity, equity, and inclusion to facilitate this work, rather than expecting BIPOC to provide unpaid labor [2], [15], [16]. Reject “color-blindness” and maintain an awareness of racial inequities in all contexts. Notice when BIPOC are underrepresented among grant or scholarship awardees, positions of leadership, conference panelists, or research study cohorts. Do not leave it to BIPOC to bring attention to these issues; point out instances of inequity and seek to address them directly [2], [22], [16], [27]. Incorporate anti-racist principles into your pedagogy. Highlight the contributions of BIPOC to your field and point out instances where scientific research has been used to perpetuate racial discrimination. Educate the next generation of STEM leaders to be aware of racial inequity and empower them to take action [2], [18], [19]. Accept criticism with grace and use it to grow. Ifa BIPOC colleague or student takes offense to your words or actions, do not try to defend yourself or justify your actions. Instead, apologize and use this as an opportunity to examine your own biases and improve in the future. Remember, your intent does not matter; it is the impact of your actions that matters [2], [20], [21]. 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(American Mathematical Society,.2020), (Science, 2020) rd to, [8]Does STEM stand out? Examining racial/ethnic gaps in persistence across (Scientific American,2013), postsecondary fields (Educational Researcher, 2019), [21] Dear fellow white people: Here’s what to do when you're called racist [9] What matters in college for retaining aspiring scientistsand engineers from —_ (Washington Post, 2019) underrepresented racial groups (Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2014)