# data[].attributes.body
Humans come in all shades, from the palest pink to the inkiest brown. Of all visible human traits, why does skin color provoke such strong feelings, ideas, and responses amongst us?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The science of skin color - Angela Koine Flynn

# data[].attributes.body
Read: Color of Us
Activity: Mixed paint into different skin color shades, painted BLM hands and named the colors creatively using inspiration from the book .

# data[].attributes.headline
HUMANITIES (4) Recognizing Similarities, Celebrating Differences 

# data[].attributes.subject
HUMANITIES (4) Recognizing Similarities, Celebrating Differences 

# data[].attributes.body
Read: Same, Same But Different
Activity: TBD (find a similarity between you and the activist you've chosen to study??)

# data[].attributes.headline
HOMEROOM (4) Recognizing Similarities, Celebrating Differences 

# data[].attributes.subject
HOMEROOM (4) Recognizing Similarities, Celebrating Differences 

# data[].attributes.body
Read: Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Group kids into pairs to discover how they are the same or different from each other.
On Seesaw, have them complete the attached worksheet with their partner!

# data[].attributes.body
Day & Night Short Film and Reflection

1.  👂Watch and listen to the short film, "Day & Night" with Rachael (Disney Plus)
2.  🗣 Talk about how Day and Night feel about each other at the start of the film. Why do you think they dislike each other? 
3.  💡 Think about how Day & Night's feelings change. How do they feel about their differences at the end of the film? 
4.  Write, draw, or record: Things that different or unfamiliar to us should not be feared, but looked at as an opportunity for new experience. Write about a time in your life you got to know someone or something different (tried a new food, sport, or activity you didn't think you'd like, made friends with someone unlike you)

# data[].attributes.body
Design your OWN Identity Map with Emojis and Words!
Today you will design your own identity map! Here is a blank template for you to use. Please see my example! You will need to include the following: 1. At least 4 different landmarks Ex: Family, Hobbies, Culture, Friendships, Fears, Feelings, Favorites, etc) You may use the same "landmark names" as I used (Hobby Hill, Forest of Fears, etc.) or make up your own! 2. Add at least 3 identities under each landmark. For example, under Hobby Hill I put (1)reading, (2)cooking, (3)and walking Max! 3. Use the recording 🎤 to give a tour of your map🗺.

# data[].attributes.body
Identity Iceberg

Your identity is so much bigger than what can be seen by others on the outside. On an iceberg we can see only the top, we can’t see how big things are below. This is the same for identity. What parts of your identity do people "see"?  What are some other parts of your identity people can't "see" with their eyes?

1: Press Add
2: Add labels to the image over and under the water's surface and label as many different identities of yours that can be seen, and those that cannot be seen.
3: Press the green tick to add your work ✅

# data[].attributes.body
Identity Timeline

Use this template to create a timeline of important events that have happened in your life. Your timeline does not have to begin when you were born, it can be a timeline of the past year, if you want! Try your best to put the events in order from left to right.

A timeline of your life may include positive or negative milestones, try to include some of both! Some ideas from big or small life events might include:
-moving (schools, homes, states etc.)
-when your sibling was born
-an accomplishment (learning to riding a bike, diving off the diving board, competing in a sport or hobby)
- an injury
-loss (family member, pet, friend moving away etc.)
-celebration (religious or non-religious)

# data[].attributes.body
What is a Scientist? Part 1: Draw a Scientist
Directions:
1. Tap the  add button.
2. Take a  photo of "Draw a Scientist"
3. Tap  to add a caption to your entry. Your caption should include a description of your image.
- Describe what you drew.
- Explain your initial thoughts when you pictured a scientist.
4. Tap the  check to add to your journal.

# data[].attributes.body
Recognizing Similarities and Celebrating Differences

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Read-Aloud Book: Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Framework

Quilt researcher Laurel Horton once said, "We Americans have adopted quilts as a symbol of what we value about ourselves and our national history." In fact, throughout history, Americans have used the art of quilting for many diverse purposes: to keep warm, to decorate their homes, to express political views, to remember a loved one and, especially, to tell stories about themselves and the cultural history of a particular place and time.

People of many cultures and time periods have used quilting to pass down their traditions and history. African-American quilters, in particular, have left a legacy of their stories through quilts. Creating quilts, from any materials, can be an ideal way to help students tell their own stories through art while working collaboratively. The image of the quilting bee can be used as students work together and talk about their individual squares and the stories they tell.

In this lesson, the creation of a quilt made of individual, diverse squares provides a metaphor for one unified classroom community. Just as the students' individual families are diverse and unique when looked at in isolation, they all contribute to their community when woven together. As their family squares are stitched (or glued) together, just like a quilt, it helps to represent acceptance, tolerance and unity. Students learn about each other's unique qualities, share their own backgrounds and families with pride, and learn how each diverse square can be joined together to represent inclusion and unity. When the quilt is hung in a place of prominence, it will provide a visual reminder of that unity.

Glossary

community [kuh-myoo-ni-tee] ( noun) a social, religious, occupational or other group sharing common characteristics or interests

diversity [dih- vur-si-tee] ( noun) variety, differences

heritage [ her-i-tij] ( noun) the traditions, achievements and beliefs that are part of the history of a group of people

family [ fam-uh-lee] ( noun) a group of people going through the world together, often adults and the children they care for

quilt [kwilt] ( noun) a bedcover held in place by ties or stitched design

Activities

( Note: If possible, bring in a quilt to show students. If a real quilt is not available, show students one or more of the online quilt images at edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/history-quilts#sect-resources. Show the quilt or image to students as they enter the classroom.)

1. Choose a partner and answer the following questions about the object or image you see:

What is the object called? It's a quilt.

What do you know about quilts? Quilts are made up of many different scraps of material or squares stitched or put together. Each individual piece can look exactly the same, or more frequently, each can be unique.

Do you have a quilt at home? If so, what does it look like?

Why do people make or use quilts? Quilts have been made and used throughout history to keep warm, decorate homes, express views or remember a loved one. Some quilts can even tell a story about the people who put it together or the time period in which it was put together. That is called a story quilt.

2. Throughout this series of lessons, we have been learning about the stories and qualities that make up your unique family. On a sheet of paper, write down words or images that you might use to tell the story of your family.

3. Imagine that your principal has asked you to use these ideas to tell a very important story. It is the story of all of the families that make up our class community or even your school community, and she or he would like you to use a quilt to tell that story! The quilt will tell the story of your individual family, but it will also tell the story of how all of the families of students in your class or school have contributed to our school community and our overall community. Just like a quilt, we are all part of something greater!

4. (Note: Distribute the handout "Our Family Quilt" and art materials.) The handout is divided into four squares, which you will use to create your quilt. You will illustrate each square to show something different about your family or another student's family. Your quilt should reflect what you've uncovered about your family throughout this series of lessons. You may want to think about what your family likes to do together, different places you've visited, unique aspects of your heritage, what your heritage has contributed to the community, or something you've learned about how your family is the same or different as another family.

5. To create the atmosphere of a quilting bee, sit in a circle with other students and chat as you create your illustrations.

6. Once all classmates have finished, take turns presenting your four squares to the rest of the class. As you present, reflect upon how all of the families have contributed to the larger school community.

7. Finally, work with your teacher and other students to mix up and stitch, staple or glue all squares together to create one quilt that tells the story of how different families contribute to one community.

Additional Resources

Examining Identity and Assimilation: Students examine identity and assimilation with an activity that asks the essential question: Was there ever a part of your identity you had to hide?

Exploring Community History and Cultural Influence: In this activity, students identify aspects of culture that influence our own behavior and sometimes make it difficult to understand the behavior of other people.

Harriet Powers Bible Quilt: Harriet Powers, a freed slave, created quilts to tell the story of her life and of the lives of the slaves. One quilt, called Bible Quilt, can be seen in detail at this American History website.

Extension Activity

The quilt project is just one example of a project that can reflect inclusiveness. Think about how different spaces in your school could be used to promote inclusiveness of the different cultures and family situations of your fellow students. Think about hallways, the cafeteria, the gym and the office. Sketch your ideas and share them with the principal. Get the whole school involved in your efforts!

This activity addresses the following standards using the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: CCSS SL.1, SL.3, SL.4, SL.6, W.1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This lesson is the fourth and final in a series called "Family Tapestry." One goal of these lessons is to help students recognize and accept differences among themselves and within the larger community. Another is to recognize how each student's unique family contributes to a richer society.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Framework

We live in an increasingly diverse world, and that's true even for family structures. The "nuclear" family is not as prevalent in our society as it once was. More children are being raised by single parents, by same-sex parents, by grandparents, in blended families and in families with mixed race, religion and ethnicity. Even though variety is common, children are not always comfortable with their own family situations or with differences in their peers' families. As they encounter other family structures, it is important to help children recognize and accept differences.

If we reinforce these lessons, children will learn to appreciate, rather than fear, differences and to recognize bias and stereotypes when they see them. As children begin to compare their family situation with others, they may start expressing concerns about being different-they need to be reassured that differences are fine. The exposure to families that may not be like their own, in particular, should encourage acceptance as they see that, even within their own classroom, everyone's family is unique!

Recommended Resource

Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards (2010)

Glossary

diversity [ dih- vur-si-tee ] (noun) variety

family [ fam-uh-lee, fam-lee ] ( noun) a group of people going through the world together often adults and the children they care for

extended family [ ik- sten-did fam-uh-lee, fam-lee ] ( noun) all of the relatives or people making up a family, whether or not they live together; often this includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.

guardian [ gahr-dee- uhn ] ( noun) a person other than a parent who is legally responsible for a child or children

immediate family [ ih- mee-dee-it fam-uh-lee, fam-lee ] (noun) a person's smallest family unit, often consisting of parents/guardians and children

unique [ yoo- neek ] (adjective) having no like or equal

Activities
(Note: Before students enter, place the five numbered signs in different areas of the room.)

1. What does family mean to you? (Note: Write the following sentence starter on a flip chart: "A family is ...") Read the sentence starter and write a word or series of words on a sticky note to complete the sentence. Put the sticky note aside.

2. (Note: Distribute magazines and newspapers.) Look through one of the magazines and find a picture of a family. Tear or cut out the picture.

3. Look at the numbered signs around the room. Get up and stand by the sign that shows the number of people in your magazine picture. For example, if you have cut out a picture that shows four people in a family, stand by the sign that says 4-5.

4. Count the number of people standing by each sign. Which sign has the most people? Which sign has the fewest people?

5. The people standing by your sign will be your group for the first part of the lesson. If one of the signs doesn't have enough people to form a group, feel free to pair up with another group. Sit down with your group members. Show your picture to your other group members and explain to them why you think your picture represents a family.

6. (Note: Read the following family descriptions to the class.) Listen to the family descriptions and stand up every time a family is described:

An African-American mom and her adopted Chinese daughter.

A man and a woman with no children.

Parents and guardians with 11 children and a grandchild.

A mom, a stepdad and a son.

A girl and her two dads.

A boy and his foster parents.

7. Hopefully you stood up each time because every one of these describes a family! Each of us can have our own definition of family. To some people, our family represents the people we are related to. To others, it is the people who love and support us. A family can be two people or 10 people. It can have two moms, one mom or no mom at all. It can have a grandma. It can have one child or six children! It can have children from around the world. Every family is unique!

8. As a group, look back through the magazines and identify pictures of families that look different from the one(s) you originally identified. Then go back to your sticky note and see if you want to change your definition of what a family is. Share your first and final sentences with the class.

9. Now think about your own unique family. Just like each of us has our own identity, each of our families has its own identity too. (Note: If you haven't explored identity yet, you might want to review the activity "Who We Really Are" with students.) Count to yourself the number of people in your own immediate family (this is usually, but not always, the people who live with you). Get up and move to the sign that shows how many people you have in your immediate family. Do a recount of those standing by each sign. Now which sign has the most people? Did the groupings change? In your new group, have each member share who is part of their family. Is everyone's family exactly the same, or are there differences?

10. Distribute the "Family Scavenger Hunt handout (Grades K-2, 3-5). We all have families and, in this lesson, you will learn something unique about each of the different families in your class. There are 10 family descriptions on the handout. For this part of the lesson, you will walk around the room with classmates and try to find someone who matches each family description. When you find someone, write his or her name on the line. See if you can find 10 different people who fit the 10 different descriptions.

11. Review answers. Did anyone find all 10? (Note: Have students share what they learned about their classmates from the activity.) How does it make your community better to have so many different types of families? How many people think their family rocks!

12. (Note: Distribute paper and art materials.) You just learned that every family is unique, including yours. Using art materials, create a family portrait that shows each member of your unique family and includes the following sentence: "My unique family rocks because ______." You can draw each family member, include an actual photograph of each, or include something that represents each member. For example, if your brother plays soccer, you can draw a soccer ball. Remember that every family rocks so no one family is better than any other!

13. When you are finished, present your family portrait to the rest of the class and make sure you let them know why your unique family rocks! Then be prepared to listen to your classmates share why their families rock, too!

Extension Activity

Sometimes people in the same family can have different viewpoints. Interview each of your family members to see why they think your family rocks. Then find a way to incorporate their opinions into the family portrait.

Activities and embedded assessments address the following standards from the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: CCSS: SL.1, SL.3, SL.4, SL.6, W.1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This lesson is the first in the series "Family Tapestry." One goal of these lessons is to help students recognize and accept differences among themselves and within the larger community. Another is to recognize how each student's unique family contributes to a richer society.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Framework

The Census Bureau projects that by the year 2042, the U.S. majority population will become a minority, as non-Hispanic whites will then make up just under half of the U.S. population. As the United States becomes more and more culturally and ethnically diverse, with growing percentages of African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and other minority groups, schools have become more diverse too. In fact, schools are actually more diverse than the nation as a whole. No doubt students will need to learn how to interact in a diverse environment for success while they are in school and once they leave. One way to help students learn about, experience, and appreciate different cultures and their contributions to society is through a study of family cultural journeys. After all, everyone has a family and everyone's family has a story to tell. Our cultural histories can help teach us who we are, connecting us to a heritage and identity handed down across generations. It can also help to teach students about the unique contributions that every culture brings to a community.

Family stories, in particular, can be a relevant resource for historical research that provides a uniquely personal insight into our past. As students trace their family's journey, they can see where they came from, learn how traditions affect their lives, and consider which elements of that cultural history they would like to pass on. It's important to note that each family's retention of ethnic traditions may be as unique as their country of origin. Some families may continue to follow their ethnic traditions while others may not. And some students, including adopted or foster children, may not be comfortable sharing their personal history, may not have access to their birth family's history, or may feel they must "choose" between their birth and adoptive families in deciding whose stories to tell. Rather than single out reluctant students, give all students the choice of sharing the journey of anyone who cares about them. After all, everyone in a community helps to shape our identity, and this may provide an equally interesting opportunity to share a story nobody knows!

Glossary

ancestor [ an-ses-ter ] (noun) a person from whom one is descended

culture [ kuhl-cher ] (noun) the behaviors and beliefs of a certain social, ethnic or age group

diversity [ dih- vur-si-tee ] (noun) variety, differences

family [ fam-uh-lee, fam-lee ] (noun) a group of people going through the world together, often adults and the children they care for

historian [ hi- stawr-ee- uhn ] (noun) an expert in past time periods

location [ loh- kay-shuhn ] (noun) a place of settlement, activity or residence

unique [ yoo- neek ] (adjective) having no like or equal

Activities

Note: Before beginning the lesson, address any special concerns that families with adopted children and those living in foster care may have about the activity. You may want to call parents or guardians in advance to find out whether the activity raises sensitive issues with their child. Encourage parents or guardians to be involved with children completing the activity. For example, adopted children may want to include both sets of parents, or solely the adoptive parents or the biological parents.

On the day before the lesson, ask students to find out the name of the city/country where they were born and the name of a city/country where a grandparent, great-grandparent, other relative or an important adult in their lives was born outside of the United States. You may have some students in your class who are adopted, undocumented or living in foster homes. Instead of singling any students out, you may want to remind all students that they can choose someone who is not related but who makes a special contribution to their lives. Before students enter the room, hang a large world map in a central location and place a pushpin over the city/location of your school.

1. Today we are going to take a journey. Share with a partner what you think the word "journey" means and share answers with the class.

2. Today's journey might be different from other journeys you have taken. This journey is called a "Family Journey." It will take you back in time to learn about your family history. You'll also learn how that history connects to your life now.

3. Look at the world map. A pushpin shows the location of our school. If you were born somewhere else, find the location of your birthplace and place a new pin there. You may need to do this one person at a time. How many different places are marked on the map? Who was born the farthest from your current town?

4. Now, one at a time, try to find the location of the city/country where your ancestor or an important adult in your life was born. (Note: Share the Framework at the beginning of the lesson with the students.) Place a pushpin at that location. Then take a piece of string and use it to connect your pushpins. Start with your ancestor's location, then your birthplace and finally to your school. Your birthplace and place you live now may be the same.

5. After everyone in your class has had a chance to connect their strings, take a look at the map. These strings show part of the family journeys of your classmates! Share with a partner how you think those journeys have had an influence on the community we live in. For example, are there certain restaurants, celebrations or stores that reflect the cultural journeys that community residents have taken? Have each partner present your ideas to the class.

6. These journeys have helped to shape American culture. All of your ancestors and the important adults in our lives have brought unique customs and traditions to our community! So these journeys are important to you and to the community.

7. Sometimes it is hard to keep our cultural traditions alive. You are going to be a cultural historian for your family. You will interview a family member or an important adult in your life. You'll learn more about where your family comes from and the traditions and customs that you have contributed to American life.

8. Distribute the Family Interview handout (Grades K-2, 3-5). Choose a family member or important adult in your life who came to this country from another country. Explain to the person that you would like to interview them about their unique cultural history. Complete the handout together.

9. Bring your completed handouts to class. Pair up with another student and share what you learned about your cultural history.

10. Then, one pair at a time, present to the class this information about your partner's cultural history:

Partner's name

Number of people in family

Languages spoken

State or country where ancestor or important adult comes from

One special tradition that has been passed down and why it is special to the partner

11. After each pair has presented, have volunteers share something they learned about a classmate's culture that they didn't know before.

Extension Activity

Imagine that a family member 50 years from now is trying to learn about you. You can put five objects into a time capsule that will tell that person what is important to you and what family traditions are important to you. Write a list of the five objects and explain how each one would help them understand your part in your family's cultural journey.

Activities and embedded assessments address the following standards from the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: CCSS: SL:1, SL.3, SL.4, SL.6, W.1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This lesson is the second in the series "Family Tapestry." One goal of these lessons is to help students recognize and accept differences among themselves and within the larger community. Another is to recognize how each student's unique family contributes to a richer society.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are many classroom activities in which students explore family roots. This can be tricky for students who do not have information on their family's background. I wanted to develop an activity that would tie into guidance objectives on diversity and still allow kids to define their own identity as it relates to family.

I start by reviewing the terms diversity and identity with students. I then ask students to define family. I write these ideas down on the board. They usually have great ideas that produce discussion. For example, family can be a group of people who love each other or a group of people who are related, etc.

I tell the kids that each person might have a different definition for family. We discuss how, just like every individual has an identity, each family has its own identity. I share that each family has its own way of speaking, hobbies, number of members and place to live.

Next, I read aloud My Family by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. This book goes into detail about diversity in faith, housing, food, celebrations and education. But it also beautifully highlights the things families have in common. I ask students to notice the ways in which families are similar and different.

At this point, I teach the students how to translate their ideas about their own families into a coat of arms. I talk about the significance of coats of arms for families in the past. I then hand out a template with a fourportioned coat of arms. I tell them that today they will get the chance to show the world the identity of their family. I model a coat of arms that I created for my own family.

In the first box, I ask students to write the first letter of their last name in "fancy" handwriting. In the second box, I ask them to draw an animal that represents their family. In the third box, I ask students to design a family flag, consisting of colors and shapes they choose to represent their family. In the fourth box, I ask students to draw a picture of something that their family likes to do together.

At the end of the activity, I encourage students to explore their classmates' family identities. The coats of arms can then be displayed-a reminder that their family identities are respected and valued.
Anne S. Henry, M.Ed.
J.W. Alvey Elementary School
Haymarket, Va.
This activity addresses the following standards using the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. CCSS: SL.1, R.1

Do you have your own teaching ideas to share? Now is your chance to contribute to Teaching Tolerance's Activity Exchange. Click here for guidelines.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators-teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners-who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The hallways of math and science history are overflowing with the achievements of white men, from Sir Isaac Newton to Steve Jobs; their faces are printed into elementary school textbooks everywhere, and their achievements have been indelibly drilled into our minds, with countless and institutions named after them. To be brilliant is a gift, but who gets to be remembered as such involves privilege.

As the recent Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures notes, so many of the "hidden figures" of mathematics are black women, whether they helped America put the first man into space or are studying the awesome power of dark matter. While it's incredible-and important-to see black female mathematicians being rightfully celebrated, it's disconcerting that it took until 2017 for them to receive the national acknowledgement a blockbuster film affords. It's especially disheartening that almost 60 years later, black women are still woefully underrepresented in the hard sciences.

There are so many hidden figures around us everyday, and we should celebrate them now-not in 20 or 30 years. In light of International Women's Day, we've rounded up some incredible black women changing mathematics and our world for the better.

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Dr. Prescod-Weinstein is an astrophysicist and self-proclaimed "axion wrangler" at the University of Washington in Seattle. While she currently studies dark matter candidates, her passions of math and space started early.

"When I was 10, my mom took me to see a documentary about Stephen Hawking, Errol Morris's A Brief History of Time," Prescod-Weinstein told Gizmodo. "I was hooked by the time they got to black hole singularities!"

In addition to investigating cosmology, Prescod-Weinstein is an outspoken advocate for black women and non-binary people in STEM, especially in the mathematical sciences. She maintains a Decolonizing Science Reading List that's required viewing for any and all interested in social justice and science. Check out Gizmodo's interview with Prescod-Weinstein on being a black woman in physics today, and why Hidden Figures is far more than a lesson in history.

Chelsea Walton

Dr. Walton, a Selma Lee Bloch Brown assistant professor in the mathematics department at Temple University, is an wizard, whose hard work is truly incredible.

"I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan and it was a great place to grow up," she told Mathematically Gifted and Black. "Detroit is a blue-collar city and if there is one skill that I have learned from there it's resourcefulness. As a child I loved mathematics-I was always counting objects, finding patterns, and logic puzzles were absolutely fun to me. And 'Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land'.... mind blowing!"

During her last two years of high school, Walton started looking up ways to become a mathematics professor. With the encouragement of some of her teachers, she forged ahead.

"In general, my research lies in the area of noncommutative algebra, which involves studying algebraic structures that have noncommutative multiplication (where x times y does not necessarily equal y times x)," Walton told Gizmodo. "Examples of such structures are functions, as performing two functions back-to-back may yield different results if they are performed in a different order. (Try washing and drying your clothes in a different order!)"

On February 21st, Walton was named a Sloan Foundation fellow, which awards outstanding early-career scientists. It's highly prestigious, considering 16 recipients have gone on to win the Fields Medal in mathematics. But for Walton, math isn't about awards.

"I love mathematics because I spend most of my day trying to invent and communicate (new) truths," she said.

Talithia Williams

Dr. Talithia Williams is a statistician and professor in the department of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. She's also had research appointments at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the National Security Agency (NSA), and NASA.

"In the 10th grade I got a job as a cashier at our local grocery store," she told Gizmodo when asked how she first got interested in math. "It was back in the day when cash registers were more basic and I often would to do math in my head to calculate a customer's change. I would try to beat the cash register to figure out the correct amount! I suppose this is when mental math became easier for me and it allowed me to do better in my math classes."

Williams is perhaps best known for a 2014 about keeping track of our bodies' own data, which has exceeded 1.2 million views. Her enlightening and entertaining talk discusses how collecting data on your body's basic functions-e.g. sleep, menstrual cycle, heart rate-can benefit your health.

"By taking ownership of your data...by taking daily measurements about yourself, you become the expert on your body," Williams said in her TED Talk. "You become the authority."

In 2014, Dr. Williams became the first black woman to ever receive tenure at Harvey Mudd College.

Christina Eubanks-Turner

Turner is an assistant professor of mathematics at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. In addition to her career as an educator, she is passionate about her research in commutative algebra. Since 2012, she has published ten academic papers on mathematics and STEM education.

"I first got excited about math when I was in 4th or 5th grade except I did not know it was math I was excited about," Eubanks-Turner told Gizmodo. "In my enrichment class my teacher allowed me to work on puzzles, in particular logic puzzles where you were given clues and had to figure out who did what. Today I know this foundation in logic is what I enjoy about the theoretical mathematics I work on."

In June 2008, Eubanks-Turner was Project NExT Fellow by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). The next year, the MAA honored her again by naming her a LA/MS Section Next Fellow. Then, in 2012, she received a research grant of over $2 million from the National Science Foundation. Eubanks-Turner is a member of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), which advocates for gender equality in the field.

While a general interest in STEM fields has increased over the last two decades, mathematical sciences have struggled to become more inclusive, particularly to women of color. According to the , in 2011, "26 percent of STEM workers were women and 74 percent were men." That number is even smaller for black women in STEM fields, who are still vastly outnumbered by their white, female colleagues.

The brilliant women featured here are a small but salient sample of those who will pave a path toward more equality in their fields. Hopefully, it won't take half a century for them to become the stars of their own Oscar-nominated films.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
These Black Female Mathematicians Should Be Stars in the Blockbusters of Tomorrow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The hallways of math and science history are overflowing with the achievements of white men, from Sir Isaac Newton to Steve Jobs; their faces are printed into elementary school textbooks everywhere, and their achievements have been indelibly drilled into our minds, with countless awards and institutions named after them.