On March 19, 2021, in Atlanta, Georgia, President Biden and Vice President Harris addressed the startling rise in anti-Asian racism and offered condolences to families whose loved ones were murdered in Atlanta-area spas this week. Biden said, “too many Asian Americans have been walking up and down the streets and worrying. Waking up each morning the past year feeling their safety and the safety of their loved ones are stake.” What caused the dramatic uptick in hate crimes and bigotry against people of Asian descent and what can we do to protect our family, friends, and neighbors?

According to UNESCO, fewer than 30% of researchers around the world are women. In higher education, around 30% of female students pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. While low, these percentages actually show that women have steadily increased participation in STEM since 2000. As of 2019, the majority of veterinarians and pharmacists are women. But, steep gender pay and participation gaps persist in other STEM careers. February 11, 2021 will be the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and the perfect time to encourage girls who want to pursue STEM-related fields.