Hey there, I'm TaKiyah, and I'm all about never giving up. I started this journey as a proud public school product with big dreams of making a difference in my neighborhood and beyond. Along the way, I racked up a bunch of degrees just because I loved learning, and I also found my passion for art, music, and photography.
But the real game-changer came in 2012 when my daughter said something that sparked the idea for a photo project. That project grew into something huge: Brown Girls Do Ballet, a nonprofit that provides mentorships, scholarships, and community programs to empower young dancers of color, specifically in classical ballet.
My journey has been wild. I've been featured on CBS Mornings, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Huffington Post, Washington Post, Pointe Magazine, and Madame Noir, to name a few. And on top of all that, I've recently become an author! "The Color of Dance" hit shelves in September 2023, and I'm counting down the days until my next book, "Brown Girls Do Ballet," drops in August 2024.
I reside in Fort Worth-Dallas (and not the other way around) with my family and a bunch of plants.