Congresswoman Shontel Brown and Ohio State Conference of NAACP Branches Decry Cancellation of National STEM Program, Impact on Ohio students

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) joins The Ohio State Conference of NAACP Branches in firm opposition to the announced ending of a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that was named in honor of Congressman Louis Stokes. 

The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, which distributed $4.7 million to 10 different colleges across the State of Ohio, was vital to connecting high school students to college STEM programs nationwide, as well as connecting underrepresented students to networking opportunities, and opportunities to attend research conferences. 

“Congressman Louis Stokes rightly saw that Black students and other minorities deserved fair access to the well-paying STEM fields that are such a huge part of our economy. The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation is a long-standing program that opens doors, removes barriers, and helps schools develop necessary programs to support minority students. Supporting diversity in STEM fields isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good for our economy: because these are workers and entrepreneurs that we need. I stand with the Ohio NAACP and the people of Northeast Ohio in strongly condemning this decision. Trump’s attack on Black America is hurting Northeast Ohio and the country,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

“Given that Black graduates are underrepresented in STEM-related degrees, this program was and is vital to helping to increase awareness and support for Black students of career opportunities in STEM,” said Tom Roberts, President of the Ohio State Conference of NAACP Branches. “Every dollar counts when it comes to enhancing our state and national workforce. This announcement is highly disappointing.”