Community Features: Mecca Robinson-Jahi (She/Her)
As a high-schooler Mecca told us “Use your obstacles as fuel for your ambition!” Now she is breaking barriers and building a bright future!
Do you remember Mecca, our #WCWinSTEM when she was just a ninth-grader rocking the STEM world with her amazing achievements? Mecca was a superstar in high school from competing in robotics competitions with her all girls robotics club to teaching elementary kids coding–she did it all! Well, fasten your seatbelts because Mecca’s journey only gets better!
Since her last feature, Mecca has graduated from Rising Pheonix Academy with honors. Throughout high school she gained a passion for learning about the brain. She came across the Brain Bee competition and had the opportunity to compete regionally at Emory University in 2019! During her senior year, she hosted a podcast on gene manipulation using CRISPR.
CRISPR (short for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats”) is a revolutionary technology that allows scientists to make precise changes to DNA. It acts like a pair of molecular scissors that can cut out specific sections of DNA and replace them with new genetic material. This technology has the potential to treat genetic disorders and potentially cure diseases in the future.
In the summer of 2020, during Mecca’s rising junior year in high school, she discovered her passion for journalism. She had the opportunity to participate in a virtual journalism camp with Auburn University, which marked the beginning of her journey into the realm of activism and advocacy.
Mecca immediately became a teen staff member at VOX ATL, a nonprofit journalism publication with the mission of amplifying the voices of Atlanta’s youth. Through this experience, she honed in on her skills in writing and research, gaining valuable experience in journalism. During her time at VOX, Mecca became a seasoned facilitator, where she helped facilitate a virtual introduction to journalism workshop for teenagers at North Springs High School iAtlanta.
Mecca also published several articles during her time as a teen staff member at VOX. Her author bio and articles can be found here. One of her most cherished and recent accomplishments was an article she published on the state of anti-transgender laws in the United States.
In this article, Mecca dives into the troubling trend of anti-transgender legislation sweeping across the nation, including states like Texas, Georgia, and Florida. These laws not only prohibit minors from accessing vital gender-affirming care but also impose harsh penalties, including felony charges, on healthcare providers and parents. Mecca also captures the perspectives of two LGBTQ+ peers, shedding light on their personal experiences and emotions in response to these discriminatory laws.
Now, Mecca is a sophomore at the illustrious Tennessee State University. She is committed to a career in public health studying Healthcare Administration and Planning and General Business.
She aspires to return to her hometown of Stone Mountain, Georgia to help address funding inequities for low-income neighborhoods and communities grappling with issues such as food insecurity and health disparities. This pursuit aligns with her passion for public health and her desire to make a positive impact on her local community.
Mecca continues to have big plans but for now she is just embracing life as a college student. She is very excited for what the future holds for her career!
You can find Mecca on Instagram.
Thank you, Mecca, for updating us on all your amazing accomplishments! We’re honored to have you in our VanguardSTEM Village!
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