Yamilée Toussaint, one of the few Black women in her MIT engineering program, is now revolutionizing how young girls of color see STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) by blending it with her other passion—dance.
The Long Island native, whose love for math and dance blossomed in childhood, has created STEM From Dance, a nonprofit that uses the art of movement to introduce young girls to the world of STEM.
Growing up in a household where STEM fields were the norm—her father a mechanical engineer and her mother a nurse—Toussaint knew she could also thrive in such fields.
However, as she pursued mechanical engineering at MIT, she quickly noticed a lack of representation.
She told CNN that as one of only two Black women in her graduating class, she realized:
“I didn’t feel like I was so exceptional that I should be one of two…it should be different and can be different.”
With a desire to create that change, Toussaint combined her talents in 2012 and launched STEM From Dance.
The program, now active in nine cities across the U.S., provides free workshops for girls aged 8 to 18, where dance serves as the gateway to STEM learning.
The curriculum blends both disciplines—students choreograph routines and use coding to light up LED strips with music and create songs through computer science.
“It’s more than just teaching them to code. We’re creating a space where they feel comfortable and confident, using dance to help them connect to the STEM concepts,” said Toussaint.
For participants like 14-year-old Myrtha Plaisime, the program has been transformative. Initially skeptical of the STEM portion, she grew to appreciate how it connected with her love for dance.
The program culminates with a performance where the girls showcase their STEM-enhanced routines to family and friends, reinforcing the message that STEM is accessible, even for those who may feel unsure at first.
Toussaint’s vision goes beyond just increasing diversity in STEM; she believes the next generation of young women of color will bring vital, innovative perspectives to the world’s most pressing problems.
“They’re creative, intellectual, curious, and artistic, and they will bring a different set of ideas to the table. We must ensure they are included,” she said.
By fusing dance and STEM, Toussaint is creating a movement—one that encourages girls to say with confidence, “I can do hard things.”
