The idea for Black Youth in STEM originated in June 2020 from a discussion with the Indigenous Futures in Engineering (InEng) regarding anti-Black racism and actionable planning. On this day, Smith Engineering participated in the broader discussion called #shutdownSTEM, where the engineering community was asked to reflect and stand up to anti-Black racism in STEM. The team of Indigenous educators, led by Director Melanie Howard, proposed the idea of a culturally sensitive, inclusive, and empowered outreach initiative in STEM for Black youth, that would ultimately serve to increase the number of Black students who enrol in STEM programs at Queen’s University and other post-secondary institutions.