She STEAMs & Shreds

K-12 STEAM education

South LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Minority girls are significantly underrepresented in both STEAM and skateboarding due to systemic barriers rooted in race, gender, and access. In STEAM, they face limited access to quality education, underrepresentation in advanced coursework, and implicit bias from an early age. Black and Latina women make up less than 8% of the U.S. science and engineering workforce.
These disparities begin early as girls of color are less likely to be encouraged or see themselves represented in STEAM, which diminishes confidence and participation. In LAUSD, these groups are under-enrolled in advanced math and science courses and make up a disproportionately low percentage of participants in STEAM enrichment programs.
Similarly, skateboarding remains a white, male-dominated space, where girls, especially girls of color, often feel unwelcome. Cultural norms, lack of representation, and financial barriers limit access and reinforce exclusion.

She STEAMs & Shreds is a 9 month, school-based after-school program for girls in grades 6-12 at five partner schools in South Los Angeles. Rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy, physical movement, and experiential learning, our program offers beginner-friendly skateboarding instruction, engaging STEAM workshops, and local skatepark field trips, all at no cost to participants.
Led by trained coaches, educators, and mentors who reflect the communities they serve, our program creates a safe, inclusive space where girls of color can be successful. Program goals include increasing representation in both skateboarding and STEAM, building confidence and leadership through movement and hands-on learning, and fostering culturally affirming mentorship.
Our weekly skateboarding sessions focus on foundational skills and trust building through group reflection, and our monthly STEAM workshops explore concepts like the physics of skateboarding, creative coding, and simple engineering. Our weekly life skills sessions cover mental health, goal setting, college and career pathways, and youth leadership projects. Each school also participates in 2 field trips to local and regional skateparks to expand access and exposure. These elements of our program support girls in becoming strong, confident skaters, leaders, and innovators.

If our work is successful, LA County will see a new generation of confident, creative, and resilient girls of color leading in spaces where they’ve historically been excluded, and where young women from South LA will enter STEAM pathways as innovators and leaders.
Skateparks, schools, and public spaces will become more inclusive, with girls visibly present and celebrated for their strength and individuality. Communities that have lacked access to enrichment opportunities will benefit from increased youth engagement and mentorship. As these girls grow into young adults, they’ll bring the leadership skills, self-confidence, and networks developed through the program into their careers, colleges, and communities, helping to close opportunity gaps across education, economic mobility, and wellness.
Over time, this ripple effect will help reshape how LA County defines who belongs in STEAM and action sports, fostering a more just and empowered future for our city.