On October 12, 2022, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten announced the YOU Belong in STEM initiative at our Innovating for the Future Summit. This initiative aims to improve STEM education outcomes by advancing a sense of inclusion and belonging in STEM for all students and teachers and has three primary goals:

• Ensure all Pre-K-Higher Education students have access to, and benefit from rigorous, relevant, and joyful STEM learning.
• Support STEM educators by strengthening opportunities to join, grow, and stay in the STEM teaching field.
• Encourage education and youth-serving systems and organizations to invest American Rescue Plan and other federal, state, and local funds in STEM education.

As a network of organizations poised to expand participation in STEM among historically underrepresented groups, we can think of no better initiative to support on National STEM Day than YOU Belong in STEM, and we invite you to join us!

Let’s leverage the power of our networks to shine a spotlight on STEM education and highlight your efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and access in STEM.