Microsoft, Atlanta business join forces to get more minority kids interested in STEM

ATLANTA — Microsoft wants more black and brown kids interested in science, technology and math.

To do that, it recently partnered with a 15-year-old Black business owner from Atlanta and is giving her the tools to share her STEM girl swag.

Recently, Channel 2′s Lori Wilson spent the day with Temple Lester, who is a scientist, business owner and tech ambassador.

“Technology is everything. It’s the future,” The 15-year-old Lester said.

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“My job is just to expose everyone and allow everyone to have access to stem and let them know how fun it is,” Lester said.

Born curious and creative, Lester went to a science camp when she was 8, where her passion to be a leader was ignited.

“I walked in, and I realized that I was the only girl and one of the only people who looked like me. and our counselor looked at me and said you’re a girl, so you’re going to be our princess, and I thought, I don’t want to be a girl at a science camp I want to be a scientist,” she said.

A love for science led her to want to be a leader for others who looked like her.

Microsoft Philanthropies manager Ericka Smith said Temple is the perfect ambassador to attract other black and brown kids to the possibilities in tech and for them to understand high-tech careers are within their reach.

“We want Black and brown youth in Atlanta to see technology as an enabler, to their future, to their dreams, and the ability to unleash their genius,” Smith said.

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Part of it is changing the stigma around STEM and making it cool.

“It’s integrated into the music, fashion, content creation. They can be the next geniuses that become billionaires. You don’t have to have glasses and suspenders. You don’t have to have this nerd persona to be interested in STEM,” Smith said. “We’re committed to Atlanta, we’re committed to young people, and we’re here because we want more diverse talent in tech.”

Temple’s first event at Microsoft is this weekend.

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