Fig. 1

Signaling Affirmation for Equity (SAFE) model. This model describes project activities as contributing to building a more affirming and inclusive context, which then leads to greater academic success, persistence and productivity. Consistent with a robust literature on persistence, this later relationship is mediated by science efficacy, identity, belonging and value alignment. This model shows the logic that building a SAFE environment ultimately results in fuller representation of students and faculty in the biomedical research workforce