A Powerful Evening Celebrating Young Women, Robotics & Resilience in STEM
Progga News :
On Friday, June 6th, the halls of Cornell Tech buzzed with inspiration, innovation, and community as students, mentors, and changemakers gathered for Girls, Grit, and the Future of STEM. Hosted by Amplify Her Foundation and NYC FIRST, in partnership with Women.NYC, Student Leadership Network, and Cornell Tech, the event spotlighted the achievements of young women in STEM and explored the life-changing potential of robotics and tech education.
The evening kicked off with a vibrant reception and robotics demonstration at the Tata Innovation Center. Attendees mingled over light refreshments while getting an up-close look at the Mechatronics 13368 robot, built and operated by students from The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria. The hands-on interaction created a lively start and set the tone for what would become a deeply moving event.
The highlight of the program was the Girls, Grit, and the Future of STEM Power Panel, held in the Bloomberg Auditorium. Moderated in an intimate, conversational format, the panel featured Musfirat Rahman, Team Captain of Mechatronics 13368, in dialogue with Roya and Elaha Mahboob, founders and mentors of the renowned Afghan Dreamers robotics team. The panelists shared their personal journeys through adversity, the role of mentorship in shaping their paths, and their shared mission to empower girls in STEM across the globe. Audience members were moved by the raw honesty and uplifting spirit of their stories, and several pre-submitted questions helped guide a meaningful conversation.
Following the panel, the audience remained in the Bloomberg Auditorium for a special screening of Rule Breakers, the documentary chronicling the real-life story of the Afghan Dreamers. The film captivated the room with its depiction of courage, cultural resistance, and groundbreaking achievement, bringing the story of Roya, Elaha, and the all-girls robotics team from Afghanistan vividly to life. Rated PG, the screening was both family-friendly and emotionally powerful, closing the evening with a resonant message of possibility.
A special thank you goes to all the students, educators, partners, and families who made the event so memorable. Girls, Grit, and the Future of STEM wasn’t just a celebration, it was a call to action. It reminded us that with grit, mentorship, and access to opportunity, the next generation of young women in STEM will not only break barriers, they’ll redefine them.
