The concept for Black Youth in STEM (BYiS) emerged on June 10, 2020, during a pivotal discussion with Indigenous Futures in Engineering (InEng) concerning anti-Black racism and actionable strategies to address it. On this day, Smith Engineering actively participated in the global #ShutDownSTEM initiative, a movement that called upon the academic and scientific communities to pause their standard activities to reflect on and confront systemic racism within STEM fields.
During this period of introspection and commitment to change, the team of Indigenous educators, led by Director Melanie Howard, proposed the creation of a culturally sensitive, inclusive, and empowering STEM outreach program tailored for Black youth. This initiative aimed to increase the enrollment of Black students in STEM programs at Queen’s University and other post-secondary institutions, thereby fostering greater diversity and representation within these fields.
The establishment of BYiS reflects Smith Engineering's dedication to addressing systemic barriers and promoting equity within STEM education, aligning with the broader goals of the #ShutDownSTEM movement to create a more inclusive and just academic environment.
The visual identity of Black Youth in STEM was created by BM Dodo, a talented local designer and member of the Black community in Kingston, ON. This development was done in collaboration with the program’s founder and Director Melanie Howard, who shared her vision and aspirations for the initiative.
The branding is strong and recognizable, founded in a similar font and style as the Black Lives Matter visual identity. The colours are drawn not only from Queen’s University tri-colour, but also include green, as one of the colours of Africa. The ‘i’ is written in lower case to represent the children who are the focus of our program.