Math is a Civil Right

The Cambridge STEAM Initiative is co-leading the 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.

Through this movement, our goal is to make sure that all Cambridge families have the tools, support, and confidence to nurture their child's math thinking from the very beginning. Every child deserves a fair chance to learn math. Math skills shape a person's future—and when some kids don't get that chance, whole communities pay the price.

• Math affects your life opportunities. Kids who learn how to use math to solve everyday problems have better chances of finishing school and finding good jobs.
  
  
• Not everyone gets equal access. Research shows that many children—especially in underserved communities—don't get the math education they need.
  
  
• The gap hurts everyone. Unequal math education contributes to wider problems: income inequality, health disparities, and political division.
  
  
• Math literacy matters beyond the classroom. Understanding math helps people engage with issues like public health, climate change, and civic life.

Learning more math opens doors to:

• College
• Better jobs, including careers in science, technology, and engineering.
• Understanding the world, by reading data, following policies, and seeing how systems affect our community
• Being an active and informed community member. 

Learn more about the history of math equity work in Cambridge.

Get Involved

Learn more at community screenings of Counted Out, a documentary about how access to math affects our lives and society. After the screening, join the discussion on how to make math education more equitable for all of us, no matter our race, gender, or background.

Sign up to get updates about upcoming screenings.