Latina girls and young women are underrepresented in STEM fields, hindering their economic mobility, innovation, diversity, and empowerment opportunities. This essay explores the barriers and motivations behind their lack of participation and proposes strategies to promote their engagement and success in STEM education and careers. Instructors can create student-centered learning environments that foster encouragement and positive social support by drawing on cultural values such as collectivism (a cultural or social value that emphasizes the importance of the group over the individual), familismo (a cultural value stressing the importance of family loyalty, support, and interconnectedness in Latino/a/x cultures), respeto, (showing deference and consideration towards others, especially those who are older or in positions of authority), personalismo (Latinx value that prioritizes close, personal connections over abstract institutions or rules) and marianismo (emphasizes the importance of female virtues such as purity, piety, and submissiveness) as well as active pedagogies and gender-based patterns. Addressing the economic, innovative, representative, and empowering benefits of STEM fields can inspire Latina girls and young women to pursue their educational goals and overcome poverty cycles, contribute to solving societal challenges, and gain control over their lives and futures. By supporting and encouraging Latina girls and young women in STEM education and careers, we can create a more just and equitable society for everyone.

Authors: Ashely Gwosdz, Barba Patton, Allie Adams

Published in: London International Conference on Education (LICE-2023)

• Date of Conference: 13-15 November 2023
• DOI: 10.20533/LICE.2023.0019
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-66-2
• Conference Location: St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK