Greg Bush, Jr. at the i355
Mile-long Bridge Construction Site
In the late 80s, I was accustomed to hearing my high school peers say that they wanted to be an Engineer. Me you ask; I was interested in robotics and sound engineering. What do we have to do to bring the “sexy back” to science, technology, engineering, arts and math (S.T.E.A.M.) education to get our youth to pursue these careers? I have plenty of opinions regarding how mass media communications has steered our children to rap and athletics. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with dreams of such a career path, but who is guiding our children to S.T.E.A.M? When was the last time you heard your neighbor’s child, or a cousin or friend, pick up their guitar and form their own R&B band? How many high schools in the African-America community have shut down their vocational education program and art department? We must change this.
In 2019, I had the pleasure of listening to and speaking with Henry Childs, II the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency. The MBDA is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Secretary Childs is passionate about African-Americas participating in the United States efforts to put mankind on Mars. His vision is in alignment with mine in that we need more Black-owned businesses that provide specialized professional services in S.T.E.A.M., in order to achieve our goals in minority business development.
Henry Childs, II
National Director, Minority Business
Development Agency – U.S. Department of Commerce
I founded the Greg Bush, Jr. Foundation, Inc. to provide education, mentoring and scholarship to African-American high school students who endeavor to pursue S.T.E.A.M. careers. The Greg Bush, Jr. Foundation will seek to improve African-American participation in S.T.E.A.M. higher-education and motivate our future Black leaders by providing structured learning activities to develop literacy and innovation with a focus on entrepreneurship.
Our Founding Principles are:
Intentional – Purposefully target African-American youth with S.T.E.A.M. career aspirations to empower them with the tools to overcome systemic exclusion.
Guidance – Encourage African-American students to pursue careers in S.T.E.A.M.
Innovation – New ideas that create change and disruption make the world-go-around. From the birth of civilization, our descendants from the African Diaspora, who are now called African-Americans, have created innovations to help build infrastructure and the various technologies of America. This genius is still inherent in our African-American youth and we must continue to educate, inspire and cultivate it in them today.
Tenacity – We must see goals through to success. Anything worth doing won’t be easy.
Economic Empowerment – The Black Dollar is power and Black-owned S.T.E.A.M. business is the key to remedying economic inequalities.
Scholarship – Through scholarship, the Greg Bush, Jr. Foundation will do its part to help create the African-American leaders of tomorrow.
As the Greg Bush, Jr. Foundation progresses into 2020, I will be seeking your support of our mentoring program which can be reviewed on our website www.GregBushJrFoundation.Org. Additionally, the Foundation plans to award deserving students with scholarships to assist them during their first year of higher learning. Don’t miss the scholarship deadline! Please note: The Foundation’s 501c3 status has been applied for, and we are looking forward to your support. Please stay connected to our website for my blog posts, announcement of our Board Members and more information on upcoming activities.
Here’s to the future! To the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The possibilities for our youth are endless.
Thank you,
-Greg Bush, Jr.