ABOUT
EJSLA
Mission & History
“We hope to encourage environmental awareness in our coastal youth while helping them develop into future environmental leaders. Additionally, we aim to address equity and inclusion in the natural and environmental sciences to ensure that emerging leaders and practitioners in these fields represent the communities we serve.”
Dr. Jennifer Walker, USM Associate Dean for Coastal Operations
Welcome to the heart of transformative STEMM education, driving the creation of resilient communities in the face of climate and environmental challenges!
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Environmental Justice STEMM Leadership Development Academy (EJSLA) is a dynamic community-driven education initiative passionately committed to enriching the lives and minds of 6th through 12th graders within the Boys & Girls Clubs after-school program. EJSLA’s mission is to equip students with the necessary scientific inquiry and analytical skills to actively address environmental justice issues facing the Mississippi Gulf Coast region now and in the future.
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Our dedicated team of education professionals offers students a transformative learning experience, steering them toward essential STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) career paths. Throughout the program, students develop practical skills and acquire the knowledge necessary to contribute to climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable communities through engaging in local, hands-on citizen science projects. These projects are designed not only to cultivate a passion for environmental stewardship but also allow students to explore a range of potential STEMM fields to pursue, including:
• Environmental Chemistry
• Ecology
• Geosciences
• Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences
• Health Professions
• Social Sciences
• Sustainability Sciences
• Climate Policy
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Environmental Justice STEMM Leadership Development Academy (EJSLA) is a collaborative effort between the Steps Coalition, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast to foster leadership development in STEMM fields while actively addressing critical environmental justice issues in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. The program officially launched in January 2023 and is funded through the National Academies of Science, Gulf Research Program (GRP).
Join us on this transformative journey, where science, education and community converge to shape the leaders of tomorrow and pave the way for a more sustainable and just future on the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.
“The EJSLA program is unique in that our students will have the opportunity to work on real-world climate and environmental challenges impacting their coastal communities under the instruction and mentorship of a diverse group of practitioners in the natural sciences and climate and environmental justice spaces. Ultimately, we hope they will be inspired to pursue careers in the range of fields represented by this endeavor, and it is our goal to support them throughout that journey.”
Jonathan Green, Executive Director, STEPS Coalition
About Our Partners
The Steps Coalition was formed in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina to advocate for frontline, BIPOC, and poor communities in the recovery process, and over the years, it has evolved into a community development and advocacy organization. Steps’ core priorities are Climate & Environmental Justice, Community Development and Human Rights, and it is currently spearheading coastal initiatives in affordable housing, renewable energy, and civic engagement.
Since 1966, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast (BGCGC) has led youth development programming and advocacy efforts for young people from high-risk environments within Hancock and Harrison counties. BGCGC’s strategic vision is to assist Gulf Coast youth in living out their greatest dreams through developing skills and competencies and keeping 100% of Club members on track to graduate from high school with expectations to complete post-secondary education.
The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast (USM Gulf Coast) is a regional campus of the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), situated along the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast. It serves as an extension of the main USM campus in Hattiesburg, offering a wide array of academic programs and opportunities for students seeking higher education in the coastal region. USM Gulf Coast provides a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields, including business, education, nursing, marine science, coastal research, liberal arts, and more.
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The National Academies’ Gulf Research Program is an independent, science-based program founded in 2013 as part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. It seeks to enhance the safety of the offshore energy system and protect human health and the environment by catalyzing advances in science, practice, and capacity to generate long-term benefits for the Gulf of Mexico region and the nation. The program has $500 million for use over 30 years to fund grants, fellowships, and other activities in research and development, education and training, and monitoring and synthesis.
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