Math is a Civil Right Movement

As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy this month, we are also shining a light on the life and legacy of local civil rights activist Bob Moses. A former Cambridge resident and educator, Moses saw math as a civil right and believed that math is essential for full participation in society. Advanced math opens doors to college, good jobs, and STEM careers. Math also equips us to make sense of the world by understanding data, policies, and systems that shape our communities. However, Moses recognized that students of color, multilingual learners, and low-income families are often unable to access strong math teaching and advanced courses. He founded The Algebra Project and devoted his career to closing equity gaps in math education.

The Cambridge STEAM Initiative is co-leading a Math is a Civil Right movement in Cambridge alongside the Cambridge Public Schools Math Department and The Young People's Project to further advance Bob Moses's belief that math is a civil right. Over the years, this work has included implementing the Bob Moses Math Trail in The Port neighborhood, supporting funding for three out-of-school-time (OST) math programs, and hosting screenings of the documentary Counted Out to spark critical conversations about math literacy, power, and participation in civic life. This collective action brings together a broad coalition of partners, including Agenda for Children OST programs, DHSP youth-serving programs, Tutoring Plus, Science Club for Girls, Cambridge Math Circle, Cambridge School Volunteers, The Hive at the Cambridge Public Library, and others, all working toward a more just and equitable math ecosystem.

In the coming year, STEAM will continue working with partners to continue the Math is a Civil Right Movement in the following ways:

• Launch of the OST Math Equity Lab, six professional learning sessions offered in partnership with the Cambridge Agenda for Children OST. The sessions are designed to equip and inspire OST educators to develop positive math and mindsets.
• Counted Out Storytelling Project with Cambridge Teens: STEAM will engage youth in a storytelling project-captured through video, audio, and writing-to share their math learning experiences, identities, and what they wish were different. These stories will empower students to reshape math learning in their classrooms and will support educator learning.
• Continued family and community engagement, including an Everyday Math social media campaign to encourage math conversations with early learners, partnering with the Cambridge Public Library to offer Early Childhood Math STEAM Kits, hosting caregiver events, and the Citywide Math Playground and National Flagway Tournament event with YPP in the spring.

To learn more about the Math is a Civil Right Movement, visit our webpage.