At Science ATL, our mission has always been about making STEM careers more accessible to more communities, and that means more than opening doors.

It's also paying attention when doors are being closed This Hispanic Heritage Month, we feel a responsibility to celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino scientists, engineers, researchers, and more while also acknowledging the real challenges they are facing. Recent federal funding decisions are having significant impact on Latino students. Reporting from the Los Angeles Times describes how cuts to HIV programs are affecting organizations serving Latino and LGBTQ+ communities, including access to testing, treatment, and prevention resources. Grants intended to support primarily Hispanic-serving schools are being cut with one college being forced to end a program offering specialized counseling for Latino students pursuing a science degree. At Science ATL, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to discover that they belong in STEM, and that makes our work more urgent.