This is brilliant!
Imagine a world where girls of color see themselves not just as ballerinas or engineers but as both. That’s the vision Yamilée Toussaint is turning into reality!
Growing up, Toussaint wasn’t just passionate about pirouettes on stage; she also loved the logic and challenge of math. This unique blend led her to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT, an impressive feat for any young woman but one that never seemed unattainable for her.
“I think my parents’ careers in the STEM fields made it so that I always believed that I could also do something in STEM,” Toussaint told CNN.
Her father was also a mechanical engineer, and her mother was a nurse and while that level of excellence was the norm for her growing up, by the time she got to college, Toussaint had somehow become the minority. At MIT, the burgeoning engineer was one of only two Black women pursuing a degree in her major. It was the first time she witnessed the glaring lack of diversity in STEM fields.
“What struck me the most is I didn’t feel like I was so exceptional that I should be one of two. I felt like it should be different and can be different,” said Toussaint.
That lack of diversity continued after school when she became a high school algebra teacher in Brooklyn. Noticing the students’ aversion to math, she knew she had to do something, dreaming up a program that allowed her to make STEM more attractive for young Black children.
“I just started to wonder about a world where the benefits that you get from dance can lead to the outcomes that we’re looking for in STEM,” Toussaint explained.
The result was a nonprofit program called “STEM From Dance,” which Toussaint founded in 2012. The revolutionary program bridges the gap between creativity and the technical expertise learned in STEM. Through workshops and camps, Toussaint uses dance as a springboard, teaching young girls ages 8 to 18 how to incorporate STEM staples like coding, robotics, and engineering principles into the world of dance.
“Through dance, we’re able to create this atmosphere that feels comfortable. And with that space, we’re able to introduce something that feels kind of intimidating,” said Toussaint.
The program currently operates across nine cities in the U.S. and is completely free to participants. Students learn both dance and STEM simultaneously, choreographing dance routines that incorporate STEM elements, like LED lights that they code to sync up with the music or songs created through computer science programs. The goal is to take something they already love and use it to introduce something that may seem more challenging. 14-year-old Myrtha Plaisime said the program has transformed how she looks at STEM.
“When I first started the dance part, I really liked it. Then, when we went to STEM, I was skeptical at first, but then we really started to go deeper into the STEM part. I realized that STEM can relate to my deepest interests, Myrtha recalled.
At the end of the program, students get to perform their STEM-infused routines for family and friends, a finale that Toussaint hopes is both rewarding and a reminder that they’ve conquered something that once seemed intimidating. Toussaint hopes that her program can be the spark that creates more representation for Black girls in STEM, leading to a more equitable and diverse world.
“I believe that the solution to some of the world’s most pressing problems relies on these girls being in the room because they have a different set of life experiences. They’re creative, they’re intellectual, they’re curious, they’re artistic, and they’re going to bring a different set of ideas to the table, so we must make sure that they are included,” said Toussaint.
To learn more about Toussaint’s work, visit www.stemfromdance.org.
Cover photo: Meet Yamilée Toussaint, the MIT Grad Introducing Young Girls to STEM Through Dance/Photo credit: Falling Walls Foundation