Press Kit

Full Biography:

TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian (Photographer, Founder, Consultant, and Executive Director) began shooting the Brown Girls Do Ballet photo project in 2012 after searching for diverse classical ballet programs in Dallas, Texas, through photos online. She now travels shooting the project and spreading the mission of the Brown Girls Do Ballet organization, which promotes diversity in the arts by providing annual scholarships, a mentor network, and community programs to empower young girls. She is a proud public school graduate with a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Texas and a Master's Degree from Texas Christian University. Additionally, she holds a certificate in Women's Entrepreneurship from Cornell University and is currently a Young, Black, and Giving Back and TIAA Fellow at the Do Good Institute and School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. She is a former Gifted-Education teacher (18 years) and is the Owner/Photographer of Some Sweet Photography.

TaKiyah's work has been featured amongst such outlets as CBS Mornings, Huffington Post, Washington Post, Pointe Magazine, and Madame Noir. She is the author of The Color of Dance, released in September 2023 and a children's book- Brown Girls Do Ballet, released in August 2024. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her family.

Abbreviated Biography:

TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian is a Photographer and the Founder and Executive Director of Brown Girls Do Ballet, a philanthropic organization that works to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in ballet programs by providing resources and scholarships to assist young girls in their ballet development and training. TaKiyah's work has been featured in/on CBS Mornings, The Washington Post, HuffPo, Pointe Magazine, and more. She is a former Dallas ISD Gifted-Education teacher (18 years) and is the Owner/Photographer of Some Sweet Photography. She is the author of The Color of Dance, released in September 2023, and a children's book- Brown Girls Do Ballet, released in August 2024. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her family.