500 Women Scientists is a grassroots organization started by four women who met in graduate school at CU Boulder and who maintained friendships and collaborations after jobs and life took them away from Boulder. Immediately following the November 2016 election, we published an open letter re-affirming our commitment to speak up for science and for marginalized communities in science. More than 20,000 women of STEM and supporters from more than 100 countries have signed in support of 500 Women Scientists, pledging to build an inclusive scientific community dedicated to training a more diverse group of future leaders in science and to use the language of science to bridge divides and enhance global diplomacy.
Since 2016, the network of women scientists grew and got to the work of confronting racism, misogyny, and xenophobia in science. While our initial pledge still resonates today, we are not the same people who wrote that pledge in 2016. As we build 500 Women Scientists, we continue to evolve. We continue to confront the shameful history of science being used to harm people - and the participation of the scientific community in this harm. We are still learning to use our voices to speak out against the injustices we see in science and in society. We are grappling with our privilege. We are learning that building a truly inclusive and intersectional movement is messy and painful but critically important. We are here to do the work and we welcome all individuals who support our mission to join us!
“It is a first step in committing to each other and to taking action for our science, our country, and the health of our planet. Just as science is built on evidence, observation, and ongoing evaluation, we are building this movement on the same tenets.”
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500 Women Scientists works to build communities and foster real change that comes from small groups, not large crowds. Our Local Pods help create those deep roots through strong, personal relationships. Local Pods are where members meet regularly, develop a support network, make strategic plans, and take action. Pods focus on issues that resonate in their communities, rooted in our mission and values.
