Bridging Scholastic and Opportunity Divides

Fempreneur Uses AI to Drive Inclusivity and Antiracist Practices in STEM Workplaces

- Nanette Soto

When COVID hit and educational disparities became an even more glaring issue, Ariana Abramson felt it was time to address an unacceptable experience many people of color encounter: being discounted and passed over for opportunities — despite stellar academic and professional credentials — due to their racial and ethnic makeup. Unsatisfied with this status quo in corporate America and inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, she decided it was time to use her world-class STEM background to effect positive change in the way companies of all shapes and sizes consider and engage with minority employees. The result of that determination was DivySci — a software platform that identifies internal bias in person-to-person interactions.

Abramson, a proud second-generation AfroLatina, grew up with an ardent love for science. As a kid, her mother often took her to the Long Island Aquarium, which piqued her interest in biology at an early age. This fascination with the world and its diversity were complemented by the Queens community in which she grew up. That enclave, which included family, teachers, and other role models, encouraged her to be curious and ask questions. These were essential introductions to the scientific method that would further cement her interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).