Latinos make up 17% of the general workforce in the United States, yet they make up only 8% of workers in occupations related to their respective fields. Science, Technology, and Engineering (STEM .) for its acronym in English), creating a phenomenon known asThe Latin representation gap in STEM“.
Latino students at national universities who face barriers such as immigration status and higher college education often have to work twice as hard to achieve their goals, especially in STEM careers.
“Problems like discrimination and racism affect not only a personal level, but also your career,” says Oscar Moreno, a Columbian student of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who plans to continue his studies in medicine.
“My goal in studying medicine is to work with Latinos and with the underrepresented population,” Moreno says. “I really want to raise the bar for everyone’s healthcare, and that’s really what I’m excited about.”
Overcoming the Latin representation gap in STEM
Linda de Leon, a fourth-year animal science student at North Carolina State University, the daughter of immigrant parents with limited English proficiency; She admitted that she felt the struggle of sailing alone while preparing for college.
“I put pressure on myself because my parents came to this country without knowing anything and left everything behind so I could live this life,” says de Leon.
Duke University’s Dr Sophia Santillan, who works at Durham Public Schools, said it was important to have Latino STEM professionals. So that this community feels represented and encouraged to consider a career in this field.
“I hope they see me as someone they aspire to be,” he concludes.
The video was produced by Media Hub DHaussmann School of Journalism and Media of the United Nations University.
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