10 Powerful Ways Women in STEM Are Shaping Our Futures—and How All Our Babies Honors That Vision

Women remain vastly underrepresented in STEM—making up only about 24 % of U.S. STEM professionals—yet their contributions are essential to innovation and equity

For Black women, dual barriers of racism and sexism intensify the challenge. All Our Babies: Birthing in the Afrofuture celebrates this legacy of resilience by uplifting Black birth, health, creativity, and collective imagination.

Why This Matters

• STEM careers offer better pay and stability—closing gender wage gaps

• Mentorship and sisterhood boost retention: 70 % of women attribute career success to strong support networks 

• Representation sparks inspiration: only 8 % of survey respondents could name a woman in STEM 

  
  

Top 10 Drivers of Women’s Progress in STEM

1. Visible Role Models

Seeing women like Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace, or current engineers disrupts stereotypes and sparks possibility

2. Mentorship & Community

Groups and events from STEM Women and Scientista Foundation connect women in supportive networks

3. Scholarships & Financial Support

   Organizations such as Society of Women Engineers (SWE) fund college and professional training efforts

   
   

4. Early STEM Exposure

Programs like Girls Who Code and museum workshops nurture interest long before college

5. Inclusive Policies

Flexible benefits, gender-diverse hiring, and family-friendly environments help retain women in STEM

6. Building Self‑Efficacy

Though women often perform as well or better, they report lower confidence—programs focused on empowerment bridge that gap

7. Holding Bias Accountable

Actively addressing racism, discrimination, and promotion bias is vital for inclusion

8. Celebrating Storytelling

Sharing journeys of Black women scientists and birthworkers builds cultural belonging.

9. STEM + Health Justice Alignment

   

Projects like All Our Babies fuse art, technology, and maternal wellness—creating groundbreaking ecosystems for community care

10. Creative Futures Through Afrofuturism

Using Afrofuturist storytelling—like All Our Babies—women reimagine family, healing, justice, and science as interconnected generative spaces

How All Our Babies Amplifies STEM Feminism

By honoring the artistry, science, maternal health, and healing of Black women, All Our Babies: Birthing in the Afrofuture expands the definition of what STEM can be.

• Science of Birth & Wellness: Doulas, midwives, and birthworkers bring empirical health wisdom rooted in biology and community science.

• Creative Technology: Dome installations invite spatial awareness and design thinking.

• Systems Reimagining: The project models how communities can co-create healthy futures—engineered through collective care and cultural strategy.

Ready to experience the power of community, creativity, and care in action? Join us for Volume IV of All Our Babies: Birthing in the Afrofuture on Saturday, June 28 from 1–5 PM at Prolific Achievers Academy (8229 Higbee Ave, Cleveland, OH 44104). Come witness how we honor Black wellness, birthwork, and imagination—all while planting seeds for liberated futures. RSVP now and be part of the movement.