Last month, in one of its most anticipated rulings in recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court restricted the consideration of race for college admissions, stirring fresh debate.When hearing them speak of their desire to join San Diego’s fabled science, technology, engineering and math workforce, you feel compelled to support them. In fact, you see more clearly that our future depends on them.
Despite San Diego’s many successful STEM companies and educational programs, the STEM workforce in our city has a representation problem. It lacks racial diversity. It lacks a diversity of stories. It lacks color. In San Diego, our racially diverse young students will have to compete from further behind the starting line, making it harder for them to reach the finish line. This makes our work at San Diego Squared more important than ever. We work to create change and build a diverse talent pool using a race-conscious approach.
These scholars are attending high schools where they excel in STEM classes and shine in STEM coursework. They aspire to work in fields at companies tackling the most complex STEM challenges facing our world. What can San Diego business leaders do to support the future of STEM? They can mentor young San Diegans who have unique talents and experiences to share.