Hispanics in FIRST and Engineering

[Shrub]

I have had the pleasure of meeting many Latino FRC/FIRST alumni, albeit all from the same team (or related to me). I think partnering with SHPE would be amazing, as I didn't even know SHPE was an organization until my senior year of high school. I also think a lot of work has to come from inside the teams - creating an environment where students of color feel safe. More often than not, I was in situations where people were surprised I was Latinx and immediately went to talking about how "amazing" my English is (which is a common microagression for people who know a language other than English) or more recently, politics. It's frustrating, especially if one is a high school student, for their identity to suddenly be a controversial topic when they are there to participate in FIRST. Creating positive team environments from within makes students who are marginalized want to stay because they know their teammates accept them.

I also noticed someone mentioned a language gap. In my experience, explaining FIRST to my family has always been difficult. I do not know if a language gap does play into Latino people and participation in STEM, but in my experience it has not inhibited participation in FIRST. I think if there are team materials given out to the public at regionals/events it would not hurt to translate them into Spanish or other languages commonly spoken in one's area. I am available to help translate into Spanish.

I know Univision might have a local channel if you live in an urban area, radio stations are also a great way to reach out. If you need any advice or help, don't hesitate to contact me.