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Re:Why are there so few black people in STEM? by jazzyk on Sunday June 14, 2020 @05:19PM (#23521488)
I disagree - many inner-city youths are into super-expensive sneakers ($300 and up), golden chains and other status symbols dictated by the social environment they grow up in. Computers are just not cool enough. Yes, there are exceptions, but the stereotype - unfortunately - mostly holds..

More money helps to a point, but what these young people need more than anything is appropriate role models (engineers, scientists, etc). Yes, I know, easier said than done...

Re:Why are there so few black people in STEM? by tikititaki on Sunday June 14, 2020 @07:01PM (#23522167)
Obviously, kids are all going to want to emulate their role models. Whether the role models are Lance Armstrong or Lebron James, they will be influenced in one direction or another because of that.

But there is a very real fact that certain peoples don't have access to computers. My wife grew up in a poor area, and they did not have a computer in their home until she was 16 when got a laptop as a gift.

I grew up poor, but as a foreigner with no real contact with others so I stayed mostly at home. My father used to love buying old cheap computers at garage sales, so I would mix and match hardware from the old computers and I managed to learn a lot.

Both of us grew up poor, but I grew up to be a programmer because I had plenty of access to computers while growing up. It was always natural to me, and it was hard for her.

Neither of us idolized gold chains or expensive shoes. I think what you're saying is a harmful and frankly, racist stereotype. Just because a family buys a $200 pair of shoes for their child on Christmas, doesn't mean that means the child shouldn't have access to computers. Rich families will give their kids expensive things as well as give access to computers.

Re:Why are there so few black people in STEM? by Impossible on Sunday June 14, 2020 @06:18PM (#23521853)
How many "inner-city youths" do you actually know? Or are you playing into a convenient stereotype? I grew up with "inner-city youths" that loved computers, and kids now have significantly more access. You're just wrong here. Also I knew many well off urban and suburban white and Asian kids that did not think computers were cool, so your stereotypes are unfounded
Re:Why are there so few black people in STEM? by selimthegrim on Sunday June 14, 2020 @06:58PM (#23522142)
Michael Harriot from the Root has an answer for you (and Pete Buttigieg) - https://www.theroot.com/pete-buttigieg-called-me-heres-what-... in response to https://www.theroot.com/pete-buttigieg-is-a-lying-mf-1840038...
Re:Why are there so few black people in STEM? by CyberDildonics on Sunday June 14, 2020 @06:48PM (#23522061)
This seems like a stereotype from movies and TV rather than a generalization of real systemic information. Do you have numbers to back this up?