Ujima GIRL (Girls in Robotics Leadership) Project

(Ujima girls participating in the Inaugural Ujima Day event at UC Davis)

Ujima GIRL Project

The $2.4M Ujima Girls in a Robotics Leadership (GIRL) Project, funded by the NSF, aims to address the significant challenges of inclusion and equity for Black/African American middle school and high school girls in STEM education. The project uses hands-on coding and robotics as an engaging and fun vehicle for increasing positive attitudes toward STEM and developing leadership skills through peer mentoring with female college students. Each cohort of participants starts in a one-week camp, divided into two levels: Ujima GIRL Camp for middle school students and Ujima GIRL+ Camp for high school students. After participating in a Ujima GIRL Camp, campers will have support to organize Ujima GIRL Clubs in their schools to inspire peers and girls in feeder elementary schools, further expanding peer-mentoring and STEM engagement. 

Ujima

Ujima is a Swahili word meaning “collective work and responsibility”; it is one of seven Nguzu Saba principles of African heritage, which guide many African American/Black cultural spaces. Ujima emphasizes the importance of collective community-building, maintenance, and problem-solving. Therefore, Ujima is a culturally-relevant principle that provides meaningful guidance about how Black girls and women might engage in STEM: collectively, and in the interest of solving problems that are especially relevant to their communities.

 

A large number of Black girls will be nurtured through this project to lead in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in their schools, communities, and careers.

Check out our Instagram @ujimagirl

If you are interested in partnering with the C-STEM  Center, sponsor of the project, or you have any questions, please contact us.