Miss Sierra Leone USA: Advocating for the Recruitment/Retention of Girls/Women in STEM

Hello world!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! If you have been following my journey as Miss Sierra Leone USA and/or know me personally, you must be aware of my passion and advocacy for the recruitment and retention of girls and women in STEM fields. STEM stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Throughout my time of service as Miss SLUSA, I have actively advocated for this personal platform of mine alongside SHERO. In this post, I plan to share my story of why I chose this platform and my personal experiences as a woman in STEM and mining.

Learning how to drive a haul truck
Ruby B. Johnson
Kono District, Sierra Leone

I have always been vocal of why Miss Sierra Leone USA is the only pageant I've ever competed in and why I choose this organization, simply for its purpose of providing an opportunity for young Sierra Leonean women in the United States to serve the diaspora through a particular platform. When I had to choose what platform I was going to advocate for as a Miss Sierra Leone USA finalist, I discussed with my mom and entire family that it needed to be something I can relate to and something I can carry on after my time of service with the crown. Being that I had already created my organization (When You Believe Foundation, Inc.) and advocating for the empowerment of girls/women, and I was already a mining engineering student, the choice was simple for me to have a platform that empowers women and advocates for them in STEM fields.

First Mine Visit in 2011
Underground Limestone Mine in Giles County, Virginia
Ruby B. Johnson

In my university and work experiences, I have dealt with being the only woman, only Black, and sometimes the only Black woman in a room. I have so many "firsts" in my mining courses and work experiences because of being woman and Black but this is something I am partly proud of. Yes, I am proud that I have stepped into uncharted territories but there's also the part of me that eagerly waits for more people like myself to occupy that space and join me. Additionally, I am sometimes viewed as rare because I am a titleholder (or "beauty queen" - a word I don't like to use) but I am in a field that is anything but girly; this confuses some people. I love it! In my opinion a woman should not always follow a particular path and she can wear many different hats, and that's why my passions do not intersect. I love that I can trade my crown for my hard hat, my stilettos for my steel-toe boots, and my sash for my reflector vest or harness. Because of this of my intersectionality, I've had opportunities to even give a lecture to the advisory board of the Mining and Minerals Engineering department at my university (Virginia Tech); it was great!

Calcite surface mine in in Hunt Valley, Maryland
Ruby B. Johnson

 As Miss Sierra Leone USA, I share a lot of my adventures while wearing the sash and crown, and I absolutely enjoy that. However, I make it a priority of mine to share some of my personal life as well as a mining engineer student/intern. This is important to me because I believe that verbally advocating for my platform is not enough, it is necessary for girls/women worldwide to see me doing what I do and what I am passionate about: mining. Over the past couple years, I've also had the opportunity to speak with girls in their classrooms, events, workshops, etc. in the United States and Sierra Leone encouraging them to pursue a career in STEM, as well as talking about my personal experiences in mining; one of my favorite things to do in life.

Doing what I love (mining) in where I love (Sierra Leone)
Kimberlite rock quarry in Koidu City, Kono District
Ruby B. Johnson

Surveying the city of Koidu
Ruby B. Johnson

During the time I worked in Kono District, Sierra Leone last year for Koidu Limited - Octea Mining, I did my very best in making my presence in the city of Koidu and nearby cities, as well as on social media known. This was very important to me because I wanted Sierra Leonean girls to see their own doing something unconventional and know that they can aspire to be whoever they want, even if it is a job that women lack visibility in (such as STEM fields). I even made sure to record and upload a video online of me during my first time working with the blasting team and igniting a blast. I recall when some of the workers at Octea would continuously stare at me in shock because they see a girl working in the quarry, and I'd talk with them and tell them that when they return home after work to encourage their sisters/cousins/daughters/wives to do the same thing I am doing. Because I am them.

Ruby B. Johnson with some of the surveyors at Koidu Limited
Kimberlite rock quarry in Kono District, Sierra Leone

There will be tough times...

There are times I struggle in my mining classes and/or work experiences and I truly do want to give up, but I actually use the negative I get from folks that say "girls/women cannot excel in STEM courses and/or professional fields" to keep me going. This is not something that is easy to do, but that motivation really keeps me going sometimes. As humans, when we don't excel as we would like in something, we naturally want to give up. Therefore, being discouraged in my classes/jobs has nothing to do with me being a woman in a STEM field, but simply because I am having a tough time comprehending or achieving the goal I want. Besides with my family or close friends, it is rather unfortunate that there have been times I just want to complain about struggling with my academic or professional life, but feel afraid that others may conclude it as a weakness, because I am a woman in STEM.

Safety First: Always Wear Your PPE!
Ruby B. Johnson

Mining Rocks (pun intended)
Ruby B. Johnson

I have had many tough semesters, but this one has been one of the most difficult for me academically. It feels like everything keeps getting harder, and lesser hours in the day. I have cried to my mom and friends, telling them of how stressed I am, and how ironic it is that I advocate for STEM but I'm overwhelmed by my own work. I'll be on the phone talking to my mom/brother/dad/grandmother telling them of how tired I am and they always encourage me to keep persevering, as well as pray for me. I am blessed to have a wonderful support system that is there for me at my trying times and grateful for their continuous love and support. I have good days and I have bad days, but I know for sure that I am where I need to be in life! Life's obstacles may come our way, but destiny always prevails. Regardless of how crazy life gets for me, these three things will forever remain true: I love MINING! I love being a WOMAN! I love STEM!

Little Woman, Big Dozer.
Ruby B. Johnson

Your credibility may be questioned...

While reading an article a couple weeks back for fun (but my current research is also related to this article), I came across a very interesting article of an interview with a South African woman who is a practicing mining engineer. In the article, one of the statements made by Wilhemina Manaso (Mine Manager at BHP Billiton South Africa) that stuck to me was "There are a lot of barriers caused by my gender; as a woman, if you’re doing well in a male-dominated industry they think you're having an affair with one of the senior managers. Every time I was promoted, they would say, 'how come you promoted her? Is she having a relationship with you?'" Besides being promoted as Ms. Manaso mentions, there are times whereby people think a woman is hired because of her sex and/or skin color, and disregard their intellect and credibility. This happens, but do not let it break you (my dear girls/women). Keep striving for excellence.

Who needs an office job, when you can be outside and get dirty???
Ruby B. Johnson

I plan to work in operations, engineering, and/or consulting in the mining industry, but my ultimate goal in the next 15 years or less is to be the CEO of a mining company. Someone that I have gotten to know of that motivates me to pursue this goal is Ms. Daphne Mashile-Nkosi from South Africa; I haven't had the opportunity to meet her in-person yet, but when I read what this woman has done and listen to her speak: I see myself in her. I always speak fondly of her on my social media accounts and if you are not familiar with her, read this article and get to know.

Survey Life
Kimberlite quarry in Koidu City, Kono District

What can we (as a society) do:

• Encourage girls, just as much as we encourage boys, to excel in STEM courses in middle and high schools, and acquire STEM degrees/certificates in college or vocational schools
• We need STEM role models, and those women must be mentors to girls and young women that aspire to be in their respective fields. We must lift as we climb.
• Parents/guardians should buy a variety of toys for their daughters besides a barbie doll; toys that make them explore their creative and technical sides

Future Mining CEO/Mining Engineer
Ruby B. Johnson

Over the past couple years that I have served as Miss Sierra Leone USA, I have gotten some messages and comments from folks via social media, as well as in-person, of how proud they are of me and that I must keep up the good work. I REALLY appreciate feedback, and I'm grateful for all of you. But in reality, I am sure there may be others that observe me in silence that I may never have the opportunity to meet or ever speak with. My dream is that I can influence as many girls and women out there to aspire for STEM degrees and jobs, even if I never get to meet or know them. Every little girl and boy aspires to be like someone in their family or on TV they want to be like when they grow up, and I hope there is a girl or boy out there that would entertain the thought and work towards being in a STEM field because of me. 

Underground salt mine in Lansing, New York
Ruby B. Johnson

For me, I did not have any women in my family or know of any woman that was in the mining field to aspire to be like BUT I was raised by phenomenal women and a family that instilled in me that I can be anything I want to be as long as I work hard and smart towards it. In a future blog post, I will share my personal story of why I chose to be in an engineering field and why mining (hint: Sierra Leone does have something to do with it). Being a woman in STEM is not always an easy journey, but it's not always difficult either. Being a woman in STEM is possible, it can be done, and has been done. My dear girls and women of the world, keep reaching for excellence and nothing less!

Calcite quarry in Hunt Valley, Maryland
Ruby B. Johnson

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.

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