Representation matters, because it fuels student success
Honoring Black History Month
black |
history |
month |
As we enter Black History Month, we aim to celebrate, honor and drive awareness to the importance of black history and heritage and to amplify underrepresented voices and perspectives. It is an opportunity for teachers, students, families and neighbors to become more unified as a community by celebrating the accomplishments of black Americans.
Fairmont es AAPAC Black History Month | STEM Career Week
Program Description
The Fairmont AAPAC Black History Month STEM Career Week is a multi-day hybrid virtual and in-person program, in observation of Black History Month, intended to highlight and celebrate the successes of black professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) profession and community.
One of the goals of this event is to expose students to the breadth of career paths, and to encourage and inspire them to consider pursuing careers in STEM fields. This will be an unique opportunity for youth to hear anecdotes, get advice, and gain perspectives about career options, opportunities, challenges and potential barriers, and keys to success from African American professionals working in STEM careers from throughout the nation.
This event is open to WCCUSD Fairmont students at all grade levels, pending teacher expression of interest and availability. To participate, each classroom will require a projector and access to a video conference.
This year, we are excited to have guests who will be talking about the following STEM professions:
structural engineering, mechanical engineering, astrophysics and astronomy, architecture, industrial engineering, computers and systems engineering.
You'll note that several of our guests actually have multiple skills and talents beyond their day-to-day STEM professions. We have best selling authors, podcast cohosts, motivational / keynote speakers, educators, entrepreneurs, and many more!
To foster collaboration, creativity, engineering, science and innovation, all Fairmont teachers will be provided with a list of STEM activities and supplies required for the activity. They are encouraged to run these activities during the STEM career week. To participate, teachers will need to complete this form by Thursday February 10, 3 pm.
The Fairmont AAPAC Black History Month STEM Career Week is a multi-day hybrid virtual and in-person program, in observation of Black History Month, intended to highlight and celebrate the successes of black professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) profession and community.
One of the goals of this event is to expose students to the breadth of career paths, and to encourage and inspire them to consider pursuing careers in STEM fields. This will be an unique opportunity for youth to hear anecdotes, get advice, and gain perspectives about career options, opportunities, challenges and potential barriers, and keys to success from African American professionals working in STEM careers from throughout the nation.
This event is open to WCCUSD Fairmont students at all grade levels, pending teacher expression of interest and availability. To participate, each classroom will require a projector and access to a video conference.
This year, we are excited to have guests who will be talking about the following STEM professions:
structural engineering, mechanical engineering, astrophysics and astronomy, architecture, industrial engineering, computers and systems engineering.
You'll note that several of our guests actually have multiple skills and talents beyond their day-to-day STEM professions. We have best selling authors, podcast cohosts, motivational / keynote speakers, educators, entrepreneurs, and many more!
To foster collaboration, creativity, engineering, science and innovation, all Fairmont teachers will be provided with a list of STEM activities and supplies required for the activity. They are encouraged to run these activities during the STEM career week. To participate, teachers will need to complete this form by Thursday February 10, 3 pm.
schedule
Monday, February 14th | 1 pm - 2 pm (PST)
5-8 minute keynote
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Wednesday, February 16th | 1 pm -2 pm (PST)
Special Guest, Bryan Patrick Avery Award-Winning Poet and Author of Children's books, including newly released: Black Men in Science: A Black History Book for Kids 2-5 minute Introductions 8-10 minutes Why History Matters 10-15 mins Discussion on Black Men in Science 15-20 minute moderated Q & A |
description of Components
Keynote:
The event will kick-off with a keynote address from a distinguished guest, who will share what Black History Month means to her and why it should matter to everyone. She will share a few thoughts on career selection and tips on how to succeed through school and in the professional world.
Presentations:
There will be a series of short presentations from black practicing professionals working in STEM fields throughout the week. During these short presentations, the guests will be asked to describe what their job is, what they do day-to-day, highlighting their achievements, successes, greatest prides, and any challenges/barriers they have encountered throughout their career and how they overcame them.
Q&A:
There will be a 15-20 minute moderated question and answer period, during which student audience participation is encouraged. It is suggested that for each session, there is a designated individual (i.e. teacher or parent) who is acting as the moderator.
STEM Activity:
Teachers will have the option to engage their students in a STEM activity which fosters collaboration, creativity, engineering, science and innovation. All Fairmont teachers will be provided with a list of potential STEM activities. Most of these activities do require supplies. Teachers may wish to request donations of supplies from parents from their classrooms.
The event will kick-off with a keynote address from a distinguished guest, who will share what Black History Month means to her and why it should matter to everyone. She will share a few thoughts on career selection and tips on how to succeed through school and in the professional world.
Presentations:
There will be a series of short presentations from black practicing professionals working in STEM fields throughout the week. During these short presentations, the guests will be asked to describe what their job is, what they do day-to-day, highlighting their achievements, successes, greatest prides, and any challenges/barriers they have encountered throughout their career and how they overcame them.
Q&A:
There will be a 15-20 minute moderated question and answer period, during which student audience participation is encouraged. It is suggested that for each session, there is a designated individual (i.e. teacher or parent) who is acting as the moderator.
STEM Activity:
Teachers will have the option to engage their students in a STEM activity which fosters collaboration, creativity, engineering, science and innovation. All Fairmont teachers will be provided with a list of potential STEM activities. Most of these activities do require supplies. Teachers may wish to request donations of supplies from parents from their classrooms.
Special Wednesday Session with Bryan Patrick Avery!
All throughout history, Black men have made important contributions to scientific discovery. During this session, the students will learn how Black men in history stood up against racism and inequality, and never stopped following their passions for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
All throughout history, Black men have made important contributions to scientific discovery. During this session, the students will learn how Black men in history stood up against racism and inequality, and never stopped following their passions for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Why History Matters | How Researching and Writing About History Shapes Our Present and Future
Bryan will talk about the importance of studying history. Using Black Men in Science is a guide, Bryan will discuss good (and not so good) resources for historical research. He will also talk about identifying key events in a figure's life that can form the basis for a compelling biography. Lastly, they will discuss ways to make historical figures story's relevant to readers. Black Men in Science | The Stories Behind Some of History's Leaders in Science and How Their Lives Can Inspire Others Bryan will share how the book came to be and, using anecdotes from the book, explain the common threads (i.e. perseverance, creativity, and service) that tie these men together across two centuries. |
Guest speaker profiles
monday, february 14
Angelique Ayana Culbertson (She/her) - Keynote Speaker
African American Parents Advisory Council (AAPAC) | Parent | Benefit Authorizer Richmond, California Angelique Ayana Culbertson is the founding chair, core member, innovation coordinator, and website administrator of the African American Parents Advisory Council (AAPAC) at Fairmont, and the mother of a sixth-grade student at Fairmont. Angelique is deeply committed to youth education and development, human connection, and community engagement. Since Fairmont AAPAC's inception in 2018, Angelique has played a key role in leading the core council, establishing the primary goals, spearheading initiatives, coordinating events and programming for the school and surrounding community that will engage students and parents, and maximize potential for academic achievement and cognitive development of African American Students. Angelique is dedicated to improving the support, literacy, availability of and access to resources, enrichment, and social development of African American children in our local community. She is a big advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion for students in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Angelique, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development from University of California, Davis, currently works for the Social Security Administration. |
Tiffani Teachey (She/her) - Guest Speaker
Sr. Mechanical Engineer | International Best Selling Author | STEM Advocate | Speaker | Publishing Consultant | Speaker | Owner, Thrive Edge Publishing, LLC Columbia, South Carolina Tiffani Teachey is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Westinghouse Electric Company, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) advocate, professional speaker, and international best-selling author of the children's book What Can I Be? STEM Careers from A to Z and two women empowerment books. She is the owner of Thrive Edge Publishing and owner/publishing consultant of Inspired Authors Publishing. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, as well as a Masters of Science degree in Engineering Management, both from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is currently a Leadership Studies Ph.D. student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As an engineer with more than seventeen years of experience, Tiffani has a passion for inspiring the next generation to engage in STEM careers. She was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, enjoys traveling and being a youth mentor. For more about Tiffani, visit her website at www.TiffaniTeachey.com. |
Mohamed Musa (He/him) - Guest Speaker
Structural Engineering Design Intern San Leandro, California Mohamed Musa is structural engineering design intern at Degenkolb Engineers, and a teaching assistant at University of California San Diego. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Structural Engineering from University of California San Diego (UCSD) and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Structural Engineering at UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering. Before starting his internship, Mohamed was a research lab assistant who studied wave propagation in complex materials, and developed models to simulate and better understand the structural behavior, performance, and internal elastic strain energy of beams, using Finite Element Model Software. He also completed an internship as a field engineer during construction of an eight story residential building located in the heart of Oakland, California. Mohamed was the 2020-2021 Vice President External of National Society of Black Engineers and has been a member of Alpha Lambda Mu Fraternity for more than two years. On his spare time, he enjoys playing, coaching and refereeing soccer. He is a big advocate of STEM outreach, youth education, leadership, and mentorship and is passionate about community connectivity and the promotion of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. |
Myeisha Lee (She/her) - Guest Speaker
Lead Application Coordinator for Kaiser Permanente, Northern California IT Health Connect. Myeisha Lee's primary role is assigning projects, developing new enhancements, and mentoring her team members. Her team primarily develops and implements new enhancements for the Northern California Perioperative Surgical and Anesthesiology regional providers and staff. Myeisha is a product of the West Contra Costa School District. She attended and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School and earned an Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems from Contra Costa College. Myeisha is a mother of a fifteen-year-old daughter. When time permits, she coaches High School basketball and mentors youth. Myeisha enjoys roller-skating, hiking, playing basketball and traveling with her family. |
Tuesday, february 15
Julia Weatherspoon (She/her) - Guest Speaker
Architectural Designer, Adjunct Professor, 2021-2022 SFNOMA President, Associate AIA, LEED AP BD+C San Francisco, California Julia Weatherspoon Assoc. AIA, LEED BD+C, NOMA is the 2021-2022 President of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects as well as the National Recording Secretary role on the NOMA National Executive Board. Julia is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco Art + Architecture Department, an associate member of the American Institute of Architects and sits on the AIA California EDI committee. She has experience working on an array of architecture projects of various scales from workplace commercial interiors, aviation, community and civic design, and now Higher Education projects at SmithGroup in San Francisco. Julia is committed to changing the narrative about diversity, inclusion, and belonging within the design industry and aims to do her part in increasing visibility and representation in design. She challenges people to look at design holistically and through an equity lens. Her passion has brought her to moderate and speak at several institutions and events including Smithsonian Affiliate Rockwell Museum, IIDA Northern California, SPUR, UC Berkeley, San Francisco Design Week 2018, and AIGA Pasadena 2019. She has also been featured in Architect Magazine in December 2018. Julia holds a Bachelors of Architecture from the University of Arizona. She has also taught a course to middle school students that highlights the intersectionality between hip hop culture and architecture. Hip hop is used as a catalyst to introduce underrepresented youth to architecture, urban planning and design. |
Lawrence Edmond, IV (he/him) - Guest Speaker
Research Specialist - Princeton Gravity Initiative Princeton, New Jersey Lawrence Edmond is a UC Berkeley Alumni with a B.A. in astrophysics and astronomy. He is interested in numerical relativity, gravity, and computational astrophysics. Lawrence is working virtually at Princeton the Princeton Gravity initiative on developing computer simulations of binary black hole merger events to better understand how gravity travels through the cosmos, what neutron stars are made of, and how these events would appear to us on Earth. Outside of his physics research, he is passionate about STEM outreach and committed to introducing more members of underrepresented communities into the world of STEM. He has acted as a student mentor for students in both secondary and postsecondary education, and intends to continue doing so throughout the duration of his career. |
WEDnesday, February 16
Bryan Patrick Avery (he/him) - Special Guest
At the age of 7, Bryan Patrick Avery discovered a love of reading and mysteries after receiving his first Bobbsey Twins Mystery Book. Today, he is an award-winning poet and author of books for children. Bryan's middle grade non-fiction book, Black Men in Science, was released on February 2, 2022. Bryan serves on the board of directors of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is a 2021 Amplify Black Stories Fellow, a joint program presented by the Brown Bookshelf and the Highlights Foundation. He lives in Northern California with his family. Bryan is the 2021 recipient of the SCBWI Work in Progress Award for his chapter book mystery The Robot in the Library. Some of Bryan's other successful titles include: The Magic Day Mystery, The Freeman Field Photograph, and Mr. Grizley's Class. “In literature, we can create a view of the world that shows us all as equals, breaks down barriers, and imagine a future that is equitable for all. When children read these stories, they begin to accept a world that is different than what they see today. It is my goal to show young readers that children of color (particularly Black children) aren’t simply fighting racism and oppression. They can also solve mysteries, defeat dragons, and travel the universe.” |
Thursday, February 17
Da'Shaun A. Joseph (She/her), PMP®, ITIL® - Guest Speaker
CEO/Founder, D.A. Joseph LLC, Boom Speaks | Boom Productions | Councilwoman | Producer | Computer & Systems Engineer | Speaker Washington DC - Baltimore Area Da’Shaun Antoinette Joseph is the CEO of D.A. Joseph LLC, where she manages the brands Boom Speaks and Boom Productions. Through her brands and service, her personal mission is to inspire, empower, and impact. Da'Shaun is a professional engineer and growth-focused leader with more than 12 years of experience in public speaking, sales, and consulting. Her expertise in equity, leadership development, empowerment, STEAM advocacy, intersectionality, colorism, emotional intelligence, and program management has allowed her the opportunity to speak, moderate, and host various conferences, keynotes, and seminars related to those topics. She has served on chapter, regional, and national executive boards for the National Society of Black Engineers, Urban League, and various advisory boards to include the NorfolkState University Computer Science Advisory Board, ArtBAE, and the Virginia Council on Women. Da’Shaun received her M.S. in Systems Engineering from George Washington University and is a proud graduate of Norfolk State University, where she completed a B.S. in Computer Engineering on a full academic scholarship. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and has earned a Program Management Professional (PMP), Social Media Marketing, and ITIL certification. |
LaTorie D. Martin (She/her) - Guest Speaker
Industrial Engineer | CEO | Consultant, Invest In Your Success, LLC Atlanta Metropolitan Area LaTorie D. Martin is an engineering consultant, who has spent ten years in various industry roles in manufacturing, working with prominent industry leaders including Google, Yamaha, Honda, Southwire, Hoshizaki and Boars Head. She has facilitated process improvement and training events in numerous industries such as automotive, refrigeration, injection molding, metal fabrication, wire & cabling and computing hardware. Her latest role in Corporate America before venturing out to consult for her own business was Quality Manager at a leading manufacturer of electrical wiring and cabling. LaTorie earned her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Dayton. She interned with University of Dayton’s Research Institute serving as an aid for the Grandview Hospital Residency Program in the analysis and improvement of innovative Orthopedic Implants. She has resumed her studies at the University of West Georgia to obtain a second Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with the goal of becoming bilingual and advancing her business worldwide. Aside from being a business owner and creative, she is also the host of a growing podcast, The Engineer-ish. The Engineer-ish is a podcast space that speaks to aspiring, current, and future engineering and tech professionals. LaTorie feels, “engineering and tech rules the world however, we do not talk about it enough in a sensible or relatable manner”. LaTorie has made it her mission to be a relatable voice to the community in efforts to increase the diversity in STEM through forward-thinking initiatives. |
Andrew Martin (He/him) - Guest Speaker
QA Manager | Engineer | Entrepreneur | Connector | Public Speaker | Event Host Duluth, Georgia Andrew "Drew" Martin is an Integration Engineer, Team Builder, Instructor and Technical Manager. He looks forward to taking on challenges others tend to shy away from. Throughout his career, he has led teams of engineers in India, taught classes to engineers in Spain, and he strived to make improvements to process every chance he can get. He has learned to live in the details but never losing sight of the big picture. He knows that in order to be the best leader he must first be the best follower. Andrew value servant leadership and leading by example, and he's on a path to impact the world. "Let's get comfortable with being uncomfortable, break new barriers and grow the changes of tomorrow within ourselves starting today." |