Revisiting An Old Friend

Hi there, are you still there?

I know it has been a minute, or five months, that I have been here to share my thoughts. I want to try again. Every few years, I try blogging and after a handful of posts, the blog idea seems to peter off. I have a hard time being consistent because of one of my greatest fears: being judged and seen as anything less than perfect.

However, the opportunity I received in the summer of 2022 has helped build my confidence in my ideas, my thoughts, and the hopes I have for future generations of students that I want to give this another try.

I am writing this as Griffey and I are in Washington D.C., participating in the Zero Barriers in STEM Education initiative through the Smithsonian Science Education Center. In the spring of 2022, I came across the opportunity to apply for this summit as a team of individuals passionate about breaking down barriers for learners in STEM. I did not have a team to apply with as I was just getting my feet wet in Dallas so I inquired how else I could participate. At this time, I was working on my dissertation, gathering data and hoping to wrap up my document by the fall. I received an invitation back from the program manager (now a dear friend - more on that later) to apply as a mentor.

I am so glad I did.

In 2022, I mentored a team of stakeholders with a shared passion for creating an inclusive learning environment for all students in their state. That work led to the opportunity to present at OCALICON, to be a panelist at the SLAS conference in 2023, and to be a keynote speaker at the TIES 2023 Convening in Jacksonville, FL. It also gave the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals doing the same work that I thought was an off-the-beaten-path idea that nobody wanted to read about (read: nobody would care about my dissertation topic so why was I even bothering).

I was proven incorrect. I had so many people supporting me at the summit and I left that summer feeling rejuvenated about my doctoral dissertation.

In 2023, I applied and was selected as a mentor again. I mentored another team of stakeholders who have a shared passion for creating curriculum and resources for all educators in their state to ensure all learners have the opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. The work reminded me of why I still remain in education and continue to return to the classroom despite my griping about this problem and that problem.

The summit proved to me, yet again, that the work I do deserves to take up more room in my heart and mind, no matter how hard I try to push it away during the 360-odd some days I am not in Washington D.C. immersed in this work.

Now, in 2024, I am back again, where I get to see old friends that have yet again shown me how important this work is. I went to dinner with one of these friends who told me that I am working on a book or two in my free time. She read a brief note I wrote earlier in the day and is convinced I am working on a book…or as she says, I’m writing it in my head. This same friend said she is goin to take my ideas and incorporate it into her work and that meant the world to me.

The important piece here is that I am in a place that fills my cup. It is a place where I am learning to step into my own and gain confidence to put myself out there, to break down my own barriers that are keeping me from really doing the work I am passionate about: creating a world in which education is accessible to all learners, where differences are not singled out rather celebrated, and the world recognizes that what makes us unique is what allows for innovation and creativity, for problem solving and advancing into the next decade and beyond.

I hope that this year, I will be able to walk away with more than a cup that has been filled. I hope to walk away with more confidence to step outside of the comfort zone of my routine and push past the hesitation within me to speak up and share my STEM story. I want to bring my passion and expertise to a broader reach. And most importantly, I want to bring my collective experiences to others outside my world so they know what is possible when we step outside of our comfort zone.

I’ll leave you with this for now: I vow to write at least once a month. I want to start slow so I don’t feel bogged down and discouraged.

I have some reading to complete so I am prepared to support my team at the last day of our reconvening in this third year of the work. Look out for my reflection and thoughts on the friendships I have fostered in my next post.