As we reflect on another #BlackHistoryMonth , I want to take a moment to talk about Black Futures, specifically in a realm that I am most familiar with, academia and STEM.

The historical change makers from William Hinton to @KizzyPhD, we love to see it!!! Every. single. person. You are an inspiration and a testament to Black excellence.

But hey academia, let's talk, because we have some work to do. What are we doing in academia and STEM to support Black futures and a more diverse community of scholars for the future?

I don't know all the answers and am mostly using this thread to start a dialogue about what folks have seen that impressed them or thoughts or viewpoints that they think are important to the dialogue? Drop them in here!!

Thought 1: How do you assign high risks projects in your group? Someone pointed out to me that so much of professional advancement in science is dependent on the project you worked on as a trainee. Are we giving everyone an opportunity to work on The Next Big Thing (TM)?

Thought 2: Related to thought 1 above. When you give talks -- are y'all talking about everyone in your group??

Thought 3: Let's talk about words of encouragement! The leaky pipeline starts with the words we use. Remind your trainees of their power, intelligence, and fortitude while also equipping them with the technical skills for success.

Thought 4: On the topic of skills, let's either dismantle these so-called unwritten requirements for advancement in academia or make sure that everyone knows how they are really being evaluated.

Thought 5: Let us once or for all end the trope that finding diverse candidates who are also excellent scientists is hard. It's a weak argument coming from scientists who are literally trying to save the world.

Celebration 1: The BlackInX Movement -- wow. I'm just so moved by the community of scholars you connected, organized, and empowered. One of the highlights of 2020 for me honestly. To more of this in 2021 and beyond!

Thought 6: Does your institution or department have a list of the resources/opportunities/etc available for scholars of color?

Celebration 2: Let's talk about some institutions I admire! This list is by no means exhaustive, but I read your tweets, I visit your websites, and I admire the work you do to train diverse scientists.

Celebration 2, cont'd: UMBC Meyerhoff Scholars ( https://meyerhoff.umbc.edu/ ), Georgia Tech (no specific program, just wow), UPenn School of Medicine ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/inclusion-and-diversity/)

Thought 7: Allyship is a continual process of unlearning, relearning, and doing some homework. Be earnest with your journey but don't rely on your colleagues or students of color to be your personal tutor.

Thought 8: Prioritize scholarship in decision making. Recognize that there are experts who study diversity in STEM and best practices. Seek them out for help!

Thought 9: Money talks! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867421000118

Thought 10: Cite Black scholars! https://citeblackauthors.com/ 

Celebration 3: Thank you to the MANY mentors who helped me learn how to stand tall and proud -- I hope to follow your lead.

Have other thoughts/ideas/resources -- drop them below!