D.R.I.V.E Initiative

D.R.I.V.E. stands for Diversifying Robotics through Inclusive Ventures and Engagement, which is what we are doing with this project. We are focusing on introducing people from underprivileged minorities to STEM careers, engineering, and FIRST programs.   By introducing people to engineering we can help train the next generation of brilliant engineers who will shape the world's future. Alongside this, there are 2 main reasons for this effort: introducing engineering as a possible career to underrepresented people can help them realize what they can achieve, and by diversifying engineering we can make FIRST an open space for more ideas and a supportive community for people who feel alienated in other places.

By talking with people at Milwaukee Public Schools and Lovin' the Skin I'm in we learned that people of color, or any diverse group of people, can face a lot of harsh behavior, driving them away from academic programs. We want to do everything in our power to prevent this. We also understand that some people are presented unequally with opportunities for education, by introducing these people to engineering we can reach them on a personal level and change their life for the better. We can help them find a passion for engineering, invite them to FIRST programs to learn real world skills and applications, and help them realize their worth and potential.

We started this project by reaching out to tens of organizations across the state including “Lovin’ the skin I’m in” and the “National Society of Black Engineers” to learn about their personal experiences. We also wanted to invite them to other events that we would be running at local schools to introduce people to engineering through hands-on presentations. We were able to learn a lot from both organizations, everything that they informed us about gave us a lot of enthusiasm for this initiative!