Posts by Patricia Valoy
5 Ways to Negotiate for the Paycheck You Deserve When You Work for a Sexist Company
Women, and particularly women of color, find themselves between a rock and a hard place when it comes to getting paid. The wage gap plays a detrimental role in women’s lives as they are systemically cheated out of money they should be receiving. But there are ways to ask for what you deserve and leave your boss wondering why they waited so long to give it to you!
Read More7 Reasons Why Gentrification Hurts Communities of Color
Many times when wealthy people move into a low-income neighborhood, they truly want to help. Oftentimes, they even start community programs and become leaders in the community, often through beautification projects. And while I get why this seems to be good at first glance, it really isn’t. Gentrification hurts communities of color, and these are some of the ways how.
Read More5 Reasons Why Urban Youth Don’t Have Access to STEM (And How You Can Change That)
When I was applying to engineering schools as a high school senior, I had no idea what I was in for. And the thing is, neither did any of my advisers. Unfortunately, this is the reality of many inner-city urban schools like the one I attended. When it comes to urban youth, we are not providing them with the tools to find success in STEM. But that can change.
Read More4 Myths That Keep Women Away from Non-Traditional Employment
When we think about truck drivers, construction workers, garbage collectors, plumbers, electricians, and other blue-collar work, few of us immediately imagine women performing these tasks. But there are many women who want to (and do!) work in non-traditional trades. Many people think we can’t perform these tasks, but I’m here to tell you that we can and we do!
Read More6 Reasons Why STEM Outreach Is a Feminist Issue
STEM fields are perceived as male, no matter what statistics say. Even fields where women earn more than half of degrees awarded, such as in chemistry and math, are considered “male-dominated.” That’s incredible: Even when we are the majority, we are somehow in a field that does not belong to us. So what are some reasons why STEM needs women and women need STEM?
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