Today, on the Woman and Manufacturing Podcast, Fran Brunelle sits down with Kara Branch. Kara is an engineer who has always been the only Black woman on all the teams she’s ever worked on and has experienced many challenges as a result. When one of her daughters decided she also wanted to pursue a career in engineering, Kara decided she wanted better for the next generation and so she founded the Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation. Today she joins us to tell us more about the fantastic work she is doing. Kara only founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2019 and has she already helped a young Black woman establish a career for herself in STEM. The organization’s goals are to provide access, awareness, and advocate for two million Black American girls to pursue STEM careers by the year 2050 and it is well on its way to achieving this goal. In addition to the first chapter in Houston, Texas, more chapters are now opening up in Los Angeles and New Orleans. Tuning in you’ll discover how the Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation is developing young women in all areas of STEM. To hear all about Kara Branch, the fantastic organization she started, how it is transforming lives, and how you can help, tune in today!
Meet Our Guest, Kara Branch
Kara Branch is the Founder and CEO of Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in June 2019 and located in Houston, TX. Black Girls Do Engineer is passionate about developing young women in all areas of STEM. Black Girls Do Engineer provides mentoring, personal growth regimens, STEM projects and activities, and guidance on career paths based on insight from professional women that are leaders in the STEM industry. Our organization goals are to provide access, awareness, and advocate for two million Black-American girls to pursue STEM careers by the year 2050. Kara is an alumnus of The Prairie View A&M University and hold a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (2015) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Executive MBA (2021). Black Girls Do Engineer was founded based on Kara personal experiences in the STEM industry and always wishing she had someone who looked like her to show her the way. Now she is here to be the one who look like you to show you the way. She has gone through a lot of trials but now she has developed a STEM program to help girls ages 6- 21-year-old prepare and thrive in the STEM industry. Her STEM program challenges girls to be critical thinkers and encourages girls to choose STEM and they are. Her challenges are paying off. She took girls in her organization who had no STEM background to finalist in the NASAWear Challenge, where they beat out 70 plus teams around the nation.