Black Girls Do STEM

STEM Spotlight: Yasmin Abdi
Innovation. Leadership. Impact. 🌟

Meet Yasmin Abdi, a cybersecurity engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of noHack, an AI powered cybersecurity company helping organizations stay safe in an increasingly digital world. With experience at Google, Meta, and Snap Inc., Yasmin has built a career protecting technology, solving complex challenges, and creating solutions that make a real difference.

Why we love her story:
🔐 She is helping create a safer digital future.
💡 She turned her expertise into a company that solves real problems.
🌍 She is showing young women what's possible in cybersecurity.

Every app, website, and device we use relies on cybersecurity to keep people safe. 🌐 What's one piece of technology you couldn't live without, and why do you think protecting it matters? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️💜

Support Black Girls Do STEM While Enjoying Your Favorite Meal! Mark your calendars! Our Restaurant Fundraiser Week is almost here, and supporting Black Girls Do STEM is as easy as grabbing a meal or sweet treat.
Choose a day that works for you:
🍦 Monday, August 24
• Cold Stone Creamery (3:00 PM to 9:00 PM)
• QDOBA Mexican Eats (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM)
🍕 Wednesday, August 26
• Papa John's (10:00 AM to 10:00 PM)
🥪 Friday, August 28
• Panera Bread (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM)
🍩 Can't make it to a restaurant?
Purchase a Krispy Kreme Digital Dozen coupon for just $15 and enjoy your doughnuts whenever you'd like at any participating Krispy Kreme location!
💜 You only need to participate ONE day to make a difference!

Every purchase helps Black Girls Do STEM continue providing hands-on STEM experiences, field trips, mentorship, college and career preparation, and opportunities that empower the next generation of Black women in STEM.

Be sure to mention Black Girls Do STEM or use the QR code on the flyer when you order so your purchase counts toward our fundraiser. https://bit.ly/4fXWQsx

Thank you for helping us inspire the next generation of innovators! 💜

Meet Jaaliyah Heard, a BGDSTEM alumna making an impact through research and mentorship. 🧬🔬

After graduating high school with two associate degrees, Jaaliyah earned her bachelor’s in Biology from Augustana College. Today, she is a Research Fellow at the University of Iowa studying triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive disease that disproportionately affects Black women.

As she applies to medical school, Jaaliyah hopes to become a physician-scientist while continuing to mentor the next generation of Black girls in STEM.

Help us celebrate Jaaliyah and wish her luck on her journey! 💗

This Friday, August 14, from 3- 4 PM come join us for an OPEN Science Fair Meeting at the Schlafly Branch Library! Open to all students, teachers, and caregivers interested in learning more about the STL Science Fair.

Learn more: https://academyofsciencestl.org/science-fair/

Last year was a powerful chapter of growth, transformation, and deepened community impact. Together, we introduced our young scholars to cutting-edge STEM careers, top-tier college pathways, and the possibilities of innovation and entrepreneurship.

We are thrilled to announce the official release of the 2025 Black Girls Do STEM Organizational Impact Report! 🚀✨

2025 Highlights at a Glance:
🔬 150+ Black Girls Served across our immersive programs
🗺️ New 5-Year Strategic Plan Launched to guide our future growth
🤝 10+ Strategic Partnerships Built with leading corporations and organizations

Every workshop, site visit, and mentorship moment reinforces our core foundation: honoring Black girls, elevating their brilliance, and creating equitable access at the intersection of race, gender, and STEM.

None of this work would be possible without the unwavering dedication of our parents, volunteers, donors, and community partners. Thank you for walking this path with us. 🥼💜

📖 Read the full 2025 Organizational Impact Report here: https://gamma.app/docs/Curiosity-to-Career-Pathways-7xdlijd2rt97wdz

🗓️ Save the Date: Mark your calendars for our annual end-of-program STEM Showcase on October 18th from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Bring a friend and come see our brilliant STEM Changemakers present their projects live!

Thank you for standing with us as we invest in the future leaders, innovators, and workforce of tomorrow. Together, we are building a world where Black girls fully thrive in STEM and where our region remains competent, capable and competitive with a diverse and skilled workforce.

STEM Spotlight: Bohlale Mphahlele
Innovation. Courage. Purpose. 🌟

Meet Bohlale Mphahlele, a young South African innovator who proves that age is no limit to making an impact! At just 16 years old, she invented the Alerting Earpiece: a wearable device disguised as a stylish earring that can capture a photo of an attacker, track a user's live location, and send emergency alerts to trusted contacts.

Why we love her story:
• 💡 She turned a school project into a life changing innovation.
• 🛡️ She used STEM to help address gender based violence.
• 🚀 She inspires young girls to use curiosity and creativity to solve real world problems.

Every big change starts with one bold idea. ✨ If you could invent something to help your community, what would it be? Tell us below! ⬇️💭

STEM Spotlight: Dr. Ayanna Howard
Leadership. Innovation. Excellence. 🌟

Meet Dr. Ayanna Howard, a renowned roboticist, AI pioneer, and the newly appointed 12th President of Spelman College. From advancing robotics at NASA to leading one of the nation's most prestigious HBCUs, she's showing what's possible when curiosity, confidence, and innovation come together.

Why we love her story:
🤖 She has designed robotic systems that support space exploration and improve everyday life.
🎓 She is making history as the first engineer to lead Spelman College.
💡 She shows that STEM careers can evolve from research and innovation to transformational leadership.

Dr. Howard's journey from engineer to college president shows that STEM can open countless doors. Where do you hope your STEM journey will take you? 💜

🎓✨ Senior Spotlight: Savannah Ewing ✨🎓

Today, we are proud to celebrate Savannah Ewing—a future engineer with a passion for building stronger communities and creating solutions that make a lasting impact. A dedicated scholar and leader, Savannah is taking her next step at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she will pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.

🏗️ Driven by a passion for STEM and a desire to solve real-world challenges, Savannah believes engineering is more than designing structures—it's about improving lives, strengthening communities, and building a better future for generations to come.
Throughout high school, Savannah embraced every opportunity to grow through extracurricular activities, leadership, and service. As she begins her college journey, she is excited to continue expanding her knowledge, developing new skills, and becoming an engineer who creates meaningful change.

At Black Girls Do STEM, we are honored to celebrate young women like Savannah who are turning their passion into purpose. Her determination, curiosity, and commitment to innovation are exactly what the future of STEM needs.

💜 Congratulations, Savannah! We can't wait to watch you thrive at UNC Charlotte and make your mark on the world through engineering.

Here's to designing stronger communities, creating innovative solutions, and building a brighter future—one project at a time.

We are proud to call Savannah a BGDSTEM Alum!

🎓✨ Senior Spotlight: Maliha N. Moore ✨🎓
Today, we are excited to celebrate Maliha N. Moore—a creative visionary, accomplished leader, and future architect who has spent years turning her talents into opportunities to serve and inspire others.

Maliha has maintained Honor Roll all four years while balancing academics, athletics, leadership, and the performing arts with excellence.

💜 For the past seven years, Maliha has been a dedicated member of Black Girls Do STEM, where she has grown her passion for creativity, innovation, and leadership. Her journey reflects the power of combining STEM with imagination to create meaningful change.

🎭 Whether on stage or behind the scenes, Maliha has made her mark in the performing arts, participating in eight theater productions and earning induction into the International Thespian Society. Her commitment to leadership also shined through four years on Student Council, athletics in volleyball and track & field, and her participation in the Miss Green and Gold Pageant, where she earned honors including Outstanding Progression, Highest Fundraising, and First Runner-Up Miss Green.

🌱 Maliha's impact extends far beyond school. Through volunteer service with Youth Volunteer Corps, Kraken Closet, Green Machine, community clean-up projects, and mentoring at her former elementary and middle school, she has demonstrated a heart for giving back and lifting others up.

🏛️ This fall, Maliha will attend Drury University, where she will major in Architecture, minor in Graphic Design, and earn a certification in Personal Branding and Multi-World Media. She is passionate about blending creativity, design, and innovation to build spaces and experiences that leave a lasting impact.

At Black Girls Do STEM, we are incredibly proud of the leader, artist, and innovator Maliha has become. We know she will continue to inspire others as she designs a future filled with purpose, creativity, and possibility.

We are proud to call Maliha a BGDSTEM Alum!