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Meet Tokiwa Smith of Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link in Downtown

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Tokiwa Smith.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Tokiwa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The idea for my nonprofit Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link (SEM Link) came to in the 2002-03 academic year when I was working at Sylvan Hills Middle School in Atlanta Public Schools. I was having conversations with the students about the careers they wanted to pursue when they grew up and none of the students mentioned Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers. Upon reflection, I realized the students were mentioning careers that they were exposed to based on the adults in their lives or what they saw in the media.

As a chemical engineer, I wanted to expose youth to STEM careers, so I started inviting my friends that were STEM professionals to come to the school for various programs and events. I took a few years, to learn about nonprofits and entrepreneurship and in the 2004-05 academic year, I officially started programming for SEM Link at Sylvan Hills Middle School with my own funding and a small grant from the United Way Community Investment Fund. Over the years, our program has grown from serving students at the one middle school until an organization that has served thousands of youth in several urban areas.

We also keep our vision statement of “unveiling potential through exposure” and connecting youth with the STEM community. Our programs expose youth to STEM and STEM careers by providing opportunities for them to engage in hands-on STEM activities in their classrooms, out of school time programs and communities. Our signature event is our Annual STEM Career Fair, which takes place every April, is free and open to the public and exposed youth to STEM careers.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I love the work that I go through the work of my nonprofit and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I have achieved great things since starting the organization, it has been a great journey to see an idea that was once on paper become an organization that has served thousands of youth. The major challenge is funding, as an African American woman that doesn’t come from an affluent family, I started and run my organization with my money and funds from my network.

There is a challenge to getting access to grant funding, corporate sponsors and individual donors that other larger and more well-known non-profits have access to because we don’t qualify for the funds based on our organizational size and operational budget and/or we don’t have the resources to spend on marketing and advertising campaigns. I am so thankful for the individual’s donors that aren’t connected to my network and the foundations and corporations that take a chance on us and financially support our work.

The other struggle is staying true to the vision of the organization and why I created the organization. There are so many temptations to follow the trends in nonprofit, STEM education and to chase funding opportunities. I am experiencing my most success when I true to our mission and the work of the organization which is simple to connect youth with the STEM community to provide them with positive role models for pursuing STEM careers and to get them engaged in hands-on STEM activities.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link, Inc. (SEM Link), a tax-exempt national nonprofit organization that I founded in 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia on the premise that exposure to members of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) communities is critical to student achievement and career exploration in the STEM. Our mission is to promote student achievement and career exploration in math and science while increasing student exposure to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) communities.

(SEM Link) has a two core program model, Experimental Design Program and Math and Science Career Academy. Our Experimental Design Program teaches students how to design and conduct experiments for math and science fairs utilizing research, laboratory and scientific literacy skills gained group learning opportunities as well as provides judges for STEM competitions. Our Math and Science Career Academy exposes students to math and science through hands-on activities, real-world applications and career exploration. These programs provide youth with an opportunity to be exposed to STEM and STEM careers by engaging in hands-on STEM activities in their classrooms, out of school time programs and communities. We currently serve students in Atlanta and the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia) Metropolitan areas

One of the things that I am most proud of is that since our inception, we have enhanced the STEM education experiences for thousands on youth in 4 urban areas (Atlanta, Chicago, DMV and San Francisco Bay Area). We have participated in National STEM events such as the USA Science and Engineering Festival, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Family Science Days and National Geographic BioBlitz 2014.

One of the things that sets us apart from other companies is that we focus on exposing youth to a diversity of STEM careers by exposing them to the diversity of STEM professionals (gender, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds). We simply want children no matter their gender, ethnic or socioeconomic background to believe that is possible for them to pursue STEM careers by providing positive adult role models for them.

What were you like growing up?
I am a woman that always had a diversity of interests and am a social introvert. I have always loved and excelled in math and science but I also grew up loving sports, especially football, and music. I always loved to read especially mysteries. Although I loved math and science, I spent my spare time engaged in regular teenage activities going out with friends and spending time with family.

I also loved growing up in Miami, Florida, it allowed me to grow up with people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and enjoy cuisine from all over the world which is why some of my favorite cuisines are Cuban, Jamaican and Italian food. I also love the water, growing up in Miami so close to the ocean and to this day, the water calms me. I also enjoy arts and history, especially attending museums about African American history.

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