Mapping Persistent Pathways to STEMM: A Longitudinal Black Girl Cartography of Philadelphia-based OST-to-College Journeys

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Examination of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Roundtable: Experiences of Minoritized Students and Educators in STEM and Male-Dominated Fields

Abstract

This study examines the higher education trajectories of forty Black women alumnae of a STEMM-focused out-of-school time (OST) program using life-story narrative analysis and the method of Black Girl Cartography. Grounded in Critical Race Feminism, Ecological Systems Theory, and Community Cultural Wealth, the study explores how race, gender, place, and community shaped participants’ educational journeys. Findings highlight three core program supports that influenced persistence in STEMM: college exposure through tours, navigating the college application process, and resources for academic and socioemotional transition. By centering Black women’s lived experiences, this study reveals how culturally responsive OST programs can disrupt systemic barriers and illuminate sustainable pathways to and through higher education in STEMM fields.

Authors

• Kimberly Sterin, Drexel University

• Janai Keita, Drexel University

• Cianni Williams, Drexel University

• Ayana Allen-Handy, Drexel University

• Jacqueline Genovesi, Drexel University

• Dominique A. Thomas, Drexel University

• Kimberly Anne Godfrey, Drexel University

• Loni Tabb, Drexel University

• Sabrina Afroz, Drexel University