Nonetheless, we persist! If you are reading this letter today you have likely broken barriers to become a STEM professional and ambassador for the next generation. Or maybe, you have been able to peer behind the veil that masks the opportunities for knowledge, growth, and solving the problems of today and you understand that there are various career paths that the previous generation of Black excellence did not have access to, nor knew existed.
As knowledgeable people, it is our responsibility to continue to expose opportunities and share the skills that we have gathered with our community. At T.A.P.S., we take our responsibility for preparing you—the current & next generation of STEM professionals—seriously.
We are committed to introducing new programs, expanding or improving upon on the initiatives that were once championed, even 33 years ago, and establishing new partnerships to enhance the educational services we provide. Along the way, we will continue to make sure that we keep the needs of our members at the forefront, to highlight, and to celebrate those within the T.A.P.S. family.
Though the more recent years have offered unique challenges for all of us, I wish each of you success in your health, career, relationships, and goals. Since the year 2020 I have looked forward to the day when we would be able to meet physically again and fellowship and that day has come!
So I hope that you will accept my wholehearted welcome to the Technical Association for Professionals in STEM. Please don’t hesitate to share your suggestions, experience in our meetings, or any opportunities for partnership. Contact us via our website tapsct.com. I am excited to hear from you!
With Dedication,
Niasia T. Williams
The President’s Welcome
Technical Association for Professionals in STEM - October 2023
A fresh start is upon us, bringing with it new opportunities, new challenges, and—I can confidently predict—a new list of accomplishments for our new organization the Technical Association for Professionals in STEM (T.A.P.S.)! I am thrilled to see we have the support of STEM professionals both new to this work and old coming together to continue a 33-year tradition of helping the Connecticut and Southern New England communities. I look forward to learning, serving our communities, and together, building the minority STEM professional pipeline.
We have chosen a profession that plays an increasingly vital role in our global society. As the world increasingly becomes connected through technology, and the need for STEM literacy has grown, our community (communities of Afro-Descent) continue to be underrepresented in these fields. The challenges that one faces becoming a Afro STEM professional greatly surpasses what any person should have to overcome just to make a difference and to build generational stability. With each day that passes, the need for STEM professionals who can help our youth, families, businesses, and communities thrive becomes ever clearer.