EVERYTHING
According to News, the grassroots organization Black in Astro (BIA) will host its annual virtual conference featuring a diverse array of panels, discussions, and community-engagement activities. The event is designed to celebrate the contributions of Black scientists and engineers while addressing the need for greater representation in the cosmos.
Voices of a Shared Cosmos
This year’s programming centers on the theme "Voices of a Shared Cosmos," which frames space exploration as a collective human endeavor. Caprice Phillips, a NASA Sagan Fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz and BIA vice president, led the planning for Black Space Week 2026. The initiative seeks to demonstrate that progress in space science requires consistent advocacy across multiple sectors, including academia, government policy, and private industry.
The week-long schedule includes several key components aimed at different audiences:
- Virtual mixers and community engagement activities for global networking.
- STEM education and space-policy panels to discuss equitable science practices.
- Research showcases where students and professionals can present their latest findings.
- The #RaiseYourVoice policy panel on June 16, focusing on advocacy and travel equity.
- #StellarSoundcheck, an open mic session for casual community interaction.
Funding and Institutional Support
The organization's growth has been bolstered by significant institutional backing. UC Santa Cruz recently received a grant of $320,000 from the Heising-Simons Foundation to support BIA’s existing initiatives. These funds will be used to facilitate travel grants, speaker series, student-research showcases, and networking dinners. Additionally, new outreach grants are currently being planned to expand the organization's reach.
Since its founding in 2020, Black in Astro has gained national and international recognition for its community empowerment efforts. The group received the Royal Astronomical Society’s 2023 Annie Maunder Medal and was featured in Nature Astronomy. The organization also received a letter of recognition from former Vice President Kamala Harris, who praised their commitment to driving the United States toward a more equitable future in space science. By providing free public access to these events, BIA aims to create a vibrant community where professors, undergraduates, and aspiring students can learn together.
The initiative underscores a growing movement to ensure that the next generation of space exploration is inclusive and representative of global diversity.