A two-week exercise on the Flint, MI water crisis was developed for high school and undergraduate students in introductory chemistry courses. During the first week of the exercise, students learn the chemistry of lead contamination while reviewing concepts learned previously in the course. During the second week, the students participate in discussions focused on the environmental and social injustices experienced by the people of Flint, MI. The exercise was introduced in the fall of 2020 with 101 students in three different general chemistry courses and in one course with 44 students in the spring of 2021. Student feedback from these exercises was positive with participants sharing that they felt engaged with chemistry beyond the classroom and appreciated the real-life applications. The lab activities can be and have been modified to meet the needs of different student demographics and alignment with curriculum. The authors see the value in incorporating more introductory chemistry exercises to include environmental and social injustice case studies to diversify the STEM narrative in higher education.

The documentary Picture a Scientist was adapted into a discussion-based laboratory assignment for organic chemistry students in an effort to open conversations about racism and gender-based harassment in STEM. The viewing of the documentary was scaffolded to prepare students to have a meaningful experience and to help manage and support distress from the viewing, if any. Students had different avenues to process their reflections after viewing the documentary, individually and in a group. The stories of the three scientists remind viewers that the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion has a negative impact on not only their work but also science in general. The students' discussions and reflections underscore the importance of incorporating environmental and social injustice issues into traditional chemistry curriculum and highlight the fundamental work members of the STEM community must engage in moving forward.