STEAM Sneakerheadz™ is more than just a business—we’re a social enterprise with a mission to make science education more accessible to everyone, particularly those from underserved communities.

Using  Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) concepts we strive to expose students and the public especially those within underrepresented, underserved, and marginalized communities to advanced STEAM science topics.

Sneaker culture, aka “Shoe game,” is an influential and extensive cultural focus amongst the PEERs community. Shoe game refers to footwear, specifically sneakers, and its impacts on fashion, athletics, and musical trends.

For example, Nike Air Force Ones are a very popular sneaker and were first promoted with the sneaker anthem, “Air Force Ones,” by Nelly in the early 2000s. Nelly raps, “(I said) give me two pairs, (‘cause) I need two pairs, (so I) can get to stompin’ in my Air Force Ones, Big boys stompin’ in my Air Force Ones.” To this day, his music and these sneakers still have cultural influence and are promoted by other artists. Teaching STEAM material using hip-hop culture pedagogy has recently been introduced as an approach to teaching a variety of subjects.

During a STEAM sneaker art workshop hosted by myself, Jakyra Simpson, aka Ky the Chemist students create and customize their sneaker artwork. In each workshop, we introduce chemistry concepts and provide a chemical demo (if applicable), and a hands-on activity. Workshops are created for students in grades 6-12 and up to adults. These workshops are designed to promote STEAM education with project-based learning and hands-on activities.  

Workshops can be adjusted based on group size, location, and needs for participants. Currently, we offer three workshop styles: A 6–7-week series sneaker art workshop, a single comprehensive “mini” lesson, and a weekend 3–4-hour sneaker art workshop, you can find more details below:

• A 6–7-week series workshop: This is a comprehensive and interactive workshop that covers the basics of sneaker chemistry, such as polymers, rubber, leather, dyeing, and bonding. The workshop also includes hands-on activities where students can create their own custom STEAM sneaker art using various techniques and tools. The workshop culminates in a final project where students showcase their creations and explain the science behind them.

• A single comprehensive “mini” lesson: This is a condensed version of the workshop that covers the main concepts and skills of sneaker chemistry in one session. The lesson includes an introduction to various chemical concepts such as dyes, hydrophobicity, and polymers. Students will take the chemistry from this lesson and apply it to create custom art mini sneaker keychains.

• A weekend 3–4-hour workshop: This is a fun and engaging workshop that focuses on the creative aspect of sneaker chemistry. The workshop also provides students with the opportunity to design and decorate their own sneaker art using various materials and tools.

No, sneakers is my first topic but I have also hosted workshop centered on the Chemistry of Cosmetics, Natural medicine, Fashion, Hip-Hop culture, Goal-setting skills, Vision Board parties, Networking, and many other topics.

You can click on the button below to submit your request