We had the good fortune of connecting with Nyamekye Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nyamekye, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
The fastest growing female workforce population are Black women. By 2050 Black women will represent 25% of the youth labor force globally. Yet the majority of Black female students possess low socioeconomic statuses, which often leads to poor academic preparation in STEM areas. This makes it easy to overlook their capabilities in STEM areas, both on a personal and external level. This prevailing trend leads to Black women to be severely underrepresented in STEM careers (2%). A statistic that has been stagnant for decades. Black Women represent the largest unserved market and largest disruptive force in business. At Black Sisters in STEM, we prepare them with the technical skill set, inclusive leadership skills, and cultural competency to meet the demands of the emergent workforce.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Black Sisters in STEM is more than just a nonprofit. We are building the LinkedIn for Black college women in STEM. Through our AI-powered platform, we train Black women across the diaspora with the cultural competency, technical skillset and mentorship to succeed in STEM careers while also giving them opportunities to work with renowned Fortune 500 companies.

Building relationships and leveraging past networks has been crucial on this journey. Because building alone is hard, we have come this far through collaborations with many stakeholders, and the support of friends and allies.

In 4 years, we have trained more than 7000 women, provided ten thousands of dollars in scholarships to our fellows from Google, Corporate Finance Institute, and Educative.io. Through facilitating more than 15,000 hours of online training, we have helped place 100% of our graduating senior fellows in experiential learning opportunities i.e. jobs, internships, fellowships, most of whom have landed lucrative careers at top companies including Bank of America, Microsoft, PwC, Goldman Sachs and EY.

Our innovative solution is grounded in lived experiences and community empowerment. I built Black SiS from my personal pain. As a first generation low-income student, I had the weight of my family’s future on my shoulders. My only hope was to obtain a six figure career upon graduation. I had the opportunity to make this dream a reality when I was accepted to University of Virginia as a finance major. But I struggled because I was alone. I went from star student to failing. So I dropped out. I founded Black SiS so women who look like me don’t have to go through what I went through.

Black Sisters in STEM is building something the world has never seen. Powered by AI, our web-based platform improves hireability through live projects, mentorship and learning communities at scale. From Lagos, Nigeria to Atlanta, GA we are building a career community the world has never seen, raising the next generation of Black female leaders in STEM.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think Atlanta has no shortage of places to visit, even a whole weekend will not be sufficient. I would definitely visit the Georgia Aquarium. To celebrate the rich cultural heritage and history of Black people, I would take her to the Martin Luther King Jr. History Park and afterwards grab some lunch at the Slutty Vegan, which is owned by a Black women and serves some of the most delicious treats in the city. We would round off the trip by making a stop at the Skyview Ferris Wheel to enjoy the beautiful city view.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this first to God, whose all sufficient grace has kept me alive to further this vision to impact black women all over the world through Black Sisters in STEM. I also want to thank my mom, Reverend Dee Nyarko Appiah, so much for raising me single-handedly and for all the support she has given to make me the woman I am today. I wouldn’t be here without her. I’d also like to dedicate this to my church, Kingdom Full Tabernacle (KFT), my spiritual parents, Apostle Dominic and Prophetess Lesley Osei, and all the community at KFT, fellowship with them has kept me going.

Lastly, I would like to thank my team at Black Sisters in STEM and everyone who has played a part in our success.

Website: https://www.blacksis.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacksistersinstem

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-sisters-in-stem

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blacksisinstem

Other: Black SiS Info Hub (Read more about us here): https://black-sis.notion.site/Black-Sisters-in-STEM-Information-Hub-6a206a1f45e64de790a27a54ea1f2a51

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.