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At all levels, Black students are less likely to have access to a computer science class at school. We have to close this diversity gap in data. Because data has been called the fuel of the 21st century, and it shouldn’t only be understood by the few. But we will fail if we start by asking kids if they want to be data scientists. Because data is not just for data scientists. Data is for athletes, artists, inventors, gamers, influencers, activists, entrepreneurs. And yes, data is also for data scientists.
Data isn’t a single career path. Data is a leg up. An x-factor. An exponent.
Data is everywhere, because technology is everywhere. And kids are constant users, sources, creators, and contributors of it. Understanding data is a new type of literacy. And there is power in it no matter what you want to be when you grow up. But you cannot be what you cannot see.
A program that gets kids interested in data science to revamp the pipeline of talent.
The BKP curriculum expands 6th-12th grade kids’ idea of data and computer sciences from a geeky desk job they don’t want to a superpower that can help them predict and improve fun outcomes in the real world.
We have to help kids make real connections and we can't just do it once.
The pilot program is all about sensors. This introduction to how data and technology can be used to predict will spark kids’ curiosity and give them real world examples they’ll love - from Spider Man to 70s toy commercials to activities they can do in their own homes with family and friends.
01 STEAMbassadors
We have an existing process to hire and train 150 college-aged ambassadors who run the program and interface with the younger students. These ambassadors are also getting a STEAM education and learning to see data differently.
02 STEAMville
We will be plugging in to an existing educational platform, which allows kids to watch live lessons, previously recorded sessions, upload and showcase their work. This platform is where STEAMbasssadors complete their training. Parents also have access to this portal, which is essential.
CEO, Retail Data Science Company, UP.labs
Chief Commercial Officer sweetgreen
Director of Solution Delivery - McKinsey and Company
Associate Professor at Northwestern University
Director of Analytics and Lecturer of Applied AI at Loyola University Chicago; and Site Director, The Institute for Data, Econometrics, Algorithms, and Learning
Associate Professor of Computer & Learning Sciences at Northwestern
President and Founder of Deciban Solutions, LLC
Head of Guest Experience at BP
SVP | Digital & Automation | Asset Management, Northern Trust Bank
CEO & Cofounder of Coworked
CFO, Komodo Health
Founder and CEO of Auguste Research Group, LLC
Founding Dean and Professor of the
Institute for Racial Justice at
Loyola University Chicago
Head of AI/ML
Engineering at CME Group
Natika Washington leads in roles at technology companies and institutions like Black Kids Predict, a program housed within Northwestern University's Computer Science and Learning Science’s TILT Lab. In this role, she works to close the diversity gap in data literacy, ensuring that data is accessible to athletes, artists, inventors, gamers, influencers, activists, and entrepreneurs alike.
Natika's journey is one of passion and dedication. As a seasoned global impact solution engineer and expert in international development, she has spearheaded national campaigns that empower youth coalitions to thrive. Her leadership is further demonstrated through her founding of Tomorrow Owned By You (TOBY Agency), a bespoke social impact creative agency. At TOBY, she has dedicated her career to ensuring equal access to human rights opportunities worldwide, with a particular focus on empowering women and girls.
BKP doesn't just stop with the curriculum...we attack the pipeline of talent. We don’t expect every kid to end up in a STEAM career, but whatever career they pursue, they will do so with the understanding and ability to apply data in ways that make them more successful.
With our partnerships and scale, we predict that we will achieve universal access to data science curriculum by the end of the decade.
Contact the BKP Team:
blackkidspredict@gmail.com
Contact Us:
Natika Washington
natika.washington@northwestern.edu
BKP Team
blackkidspredict@gmail.com
