Black In Neuro

Last updated
Black in Neuroscience
BlackInNeuro
Part of George Floyd protests, Black Lives Matter
DateJuly 27, 2020
Location
Worldwide
Methods Direct action

Black In Neuro is a grassroots initiative that looks to connect, celebrate and amplify black voices working in neuroscience. In particular, Black in Neuro looked to increase visibility of black neuroscientists, who face challenges in navigating the majority white world of academia. [1] The group was created as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the #BLACKandSTEM initiatives that were inspired worldwide. The inaugural event ran from July 27 – August 2, 2020, and they have hosted annual Black In Neuro Week events since.

Contents

Origins

In 2014 Danielle N. Lee coined the term #BLACKandSTEM to unite black scientists and engineers around the world. Guided by both her work and the Black Lives Matter movement that followed the murder of George Floyd and the Central Park birdwatching incident, several #BLACKandSTEM programmes were launched online. The first event, Black Birders Week, took place May 31 – June 5. [2] [3] [4]

Inspired by Black Birders Week, current executive board president, Angeline Dukes, current president-elect Kaela Singleton, and many other black scientists and allies came together to launch Black in Neuro, a grassroots effort to connect, empower and inspire black scholars working in disciplines related to neuroscience. [5] [6] [7] [8] According to the Society for Neuroscience, at the time Black in Neuro launched, only 1% of neuroscience faculty in the United States identified as black. [9] The group called for white and non-black people of colour to recognise their complicity in anti-black racism. [5] Black in Neuro primarily made use of social media, specifically Twitter, to amplify stories, share best practice and work to eliminate racism within neurosciences.

Black in Neuro collected and published over three hundred profiles of black researchers working in neuroscience on www.BlackInNeuro.com. [10] The organisers of Black in Neuro wrote a perspective for The Journal of Neuroscience where they wrote, "as black trainees, our lab coats, degrees, and accolades are not bulletproof and do absolutely nothing to protect us from systemic racism". [5]

#BlackInNeuroWeek 2020

The first Black In Neuro Week took place in the last week of July 2020, using the hashtag #BlackInNeuro on Twitter and other platforms. Each day involved considered different aspects of scientific life, including representation, education, access, creativity and outreach. [11] The group also worked to celebrate the contributions of black women to neuroscience. [5] The discussions were recorded and saved on the BlackInNeuro YouTube channel. [12]

The BLACKandSTEM initiatives did not only highlight the research carried out by black scientists, but also exposed the racism and other challenges that they experienced. [13] The week drew attention from several celebrities, including MC Hammer. [14]

Impact and legacy

Black In Neuro Week was supported by over 60 individuals and institutional donors. [15] It was covered by USA Today, [16] Forbes, [15] Raleigh News & Observer, Science News, [17] and CBC News. In 2020 the journal Science, named the #BlackinX movements as a finalist for 2020 Breakthrough of the Year. [18]

Black in Neuro arranged conferences and seminar series as well as a mentorship programme. [5] The group continues to host Black In Neuro Week each Summer and has expanded from virtual-only events to also host in-person events throughout the year.

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References

  1. ↑ Sloan, Marisa (2020-08-25). "#BlackinChem breaks down barriers". cen.acs.org. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  2. ↑ Sloat, Sarah. "Black Birders Week responds to racism with a celebration of Black naturalists". Inverse. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  3. ↑ Froelich, Paula (June 6, 2020). "Viral video of Central Park 'Karen' Amy Cooper spawns #BlackBirdersWeek". New York Post. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  4. ↑ Qaiser, Farah (June 2020). "#BlackBirdersWeek highlights Black nature enthusiasts and scientists". Massive Science. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Murray, De-Shaine; Richardson, Lietsel; Tesfaye, Rackeb; Nadin, Danielle; Kelly, Clíona; Greenwood, Paige (2021-03-17). "Black In Neuro, Beyond One Week". Journal of Neuroscience. 41 (11): 2314–2317. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2957-20.2021. ISSN   0270-6474. PMC   7984601 . PMID   33731466.
  6. ↑ "Our Team". Black in Neuro. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  7. ↑ "The scientist behind #BlackInNeuro is building the hashtag into a community". STAT. 2020-08-26. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  8. ↑ Murray, De-Shaine; Richardson, Lietsel; Tesfaye, Rackeb; Nadin, Danielle; Kelly, Clíona; Greenwood, Paige (2021-03-17). "Black In Neuro, Beyond One Week". Journal of Neuroscience. 41 (11): 2314–2317. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2957-20.2021. ISSN   0270-6474. PMC   7984601 . PMID   33731466.
  9. ↑ "Report of Neuroscience Departments & Programs Survey". Society for Neuroscience. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04.
  10. ↑ "Profiles". Black in Neuro. Archived from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  11. ↑ "NeuroRacism - #BlackInNeuro". Alba Network. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  12. ↑ "Black In Neuro - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  13. ↑ Thompson, Andrea. "Black Birders Call Out Racism, Say Nature Should Be For Everyone". Scientific American. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  14. ↑ Amsen, Ana (Aug 12, 2020). "How MC Hammer And Other Performing Artists Are Sharing Their Love Of Science". Forbes.com.
  15. 1 2 "Forbes Article: New #BlackInNeuro Campaign Connects Bright Minds From Around The World". Black in Neuro. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  16. ↑ "USA Today Article: #BlackBirdersWeek, #BlackInNeuro: Black scientists, physicians are using hashtags to uplift". Black in Neuro. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  17. ↑ "Meet 5 Black researchers fighting for diversity and equity in science". Science News. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  18. ↑ Langin, Katie. "Science's Breakthrough of the Year 2020: shots of hope in a pandemic-ravaged world". vis.sciencemag.org. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
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