Dealing with bias and stereotypes can be devastating, but mentors are like “social vaccines,” says psychology professor Nilanjana Dasgupta in a recent issue of The Atlantic, “They inoculate the mind against the stultifying effects of negative stereotypes.” It’s no secret that girls are being bombarded from every angle with messages telling them who they should and should not be. What size, what they should be into, and what they should want for themselves. The girls we work with at The W frequently tell us stories about how they feel out of place in science class, how they aren’t given the same opportunities to participate as boys, and about how they are told that instead of engineering, they should pick a career that “better suits their gender” (true story! I know — horrifying). That’s why, here at The W, YWCA Cambridge’s collective space for women and girls, we offer free programming […]
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Hive WR Members Working for Equal Access
The April member meetup brought out a passionate group of members and guests who got to learn about the challenges of kids with disabilities using technology, how a program for youth with developmental disabilities is making a difference, the future of digital education and a very personal story about overcoming bias from a white, male programmer. You can view the presentations below, they are all short! Following the Lightning Talks we had a passionate discussion about bias in the tech sector and what we might be able to do about it. There were some amazing ideas, lots of frustrations and yet, hope. We’ll share those ideas soon here on our blog. Meantime, get inspired by these amazing stories! Lyndia Stacey, University of Waterloo The future of education and the tension between digital and analog Dorothy McCabe, KidsAbility The challenges faced by kids with disabilities and an ask for new eye […]
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What does an engineer look like?
Change the perception of what an engineer looks like! They aren’t all hard hatted men and women with blueprints. At this year’s Change The Ratio Waterloo Region event we saw how engineers are creators, makers, inventors and artists, too. Grab a marker and a piece of paper, or your computer and favourite drawing program. Do this with your friends, colleagues, or kids. Share your images of what a modern engineer looks like, and how engineering makes a difference in our lives using the tags below or send by email. The impact of engineering is all around us, let’s help kids see what engineers can do and see themselves as the engineers of the future! If you need some inspiration the National Engineering Month Ontario site has inclusive messaging to get you started. We shared them in a handout you can download: NEM activity sheet. Here are some of the pictures made by […]
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Change The Ratio Waterloo Region 2017 Recap
The second annual Change The Ratio Waterloo Region event was inspiring, sometimes maddening, hilarious, and completely energizing. This recap shares some of the highlights. If you missed it, the video is posted at the bottom of this post, and slides can be viewed on Slideshare. Don’t miss the tweet summary, too. The speaker names link to their bios at the end of the post. The Kitchener Public Library was our co-host again this year in the lovely theatre at the Central branch. CEO Mary Chevreau provided greetings and offered us all FREE library cards! She and Bob Egan, Manager, Community Development, emphasized the library’s commitment outlined in the Strategic Plan to inclusion, access and digital literacy. They also referenced membership in Hive Waterloo Region and partnerships to deliver digital literacy, especially in Studio Central plans. Hive Waterloo Region Executive Director Stephanie Rozek set the stage for the speakers: “I believe we […]
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