Team Interview: Rica
Where do you consider home (i.e. where are you from)?
the skating rink. the classroom. the stage. the riva. the sea. my journals. from chicago’s burbs & southside, dolton & roseland to be exact. became a georgia peach in high school before moving to atlanta. my first, and current home is jamaica.
Why did you join STEMulation?
divine alignment. michole and i have been committed to this work together since our georgia tech days. as fate would have it, i got into web design while in grad school and the team needed some support in that area. i’m always up for the mission and honestly, i’m really glad to be here.
What was your favorite part of helping to create SpaceBox?
i wasn’t on the team for the creation of SpaceBox, but i was there for michole as a friend witnessing the growth of this idea from a lesson plan into a full scale product. it’s been a case study on what happens when brilliant, like-minded individuals work together. my favorite part was seeing this evolve from a concern to a concept to a company.
What is an experience (or 2) that helped you discover/ cultivate your interest in STEM and/or education?
my earliest memories of STEM are from when i was 4 years old taking apart rc cars with my older cousin. growing up, i would often ask my mum to buy me a telescope or whatever electronics kit i could find. she would always oblige. my interest in STEM education was piqued when i was an active technology student association (tsa) member in high school. everything about the freedom and non-traditional approach to education drew me in. our advisor, mr. goltzer, is still integral to my teaching philosophy and praxis. when i became a founding tsa advisor in 2018, i called on him for guidance. i also got to see what it did for my scholars. tsa offered me an escape into a world that gave me some control over my life. that same transformative power resonated in my lab with my scholars. at this point, it’s not an interest. it’s a passion.
How do you think STEM education can be more inclusive?
multi-generational programming. get the family involved. let the youth see adults failing forward and trying new things. normalize discovery and learning in community. i say this with the assertion that culturally relevant pedagogy must be embedded into the curriculum, among other considerations like blended & personalized learning.
What is a random STEM fact that you love?
the random STEM fact that i love the most is everything in dr. ron eglash’s lecture about “the fractals at the heart of african designs.” our electronics work based on the ancient technology used by african diviners to communicate with the cosmos.
What was your favorite game to play growing up (e.g. video game, board game)?
in chicago: uno (with house rules of course). in jamaica: ludi (ludo).
What is your favorite science fiction movie or tv show?
a close tie between black lightning and the flash.
What book are you reading right now?
i’m in the process of compiling the manuscript for my next chapbook. i’m not really reading anything else right now. i did recently finish pleasure activism by adrienne marie brown. highly recommend.
What are some words of wisdom that you live by?
“ain’t n’an slick to a can o’ oil, baby.”