We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Akilah Stevens a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Akilah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My parents did a lot of things right that have deeply shaped who I am today, both personally and professionally. One of the biggest lessons they taught me was the value of hard work and perseverance. Growing up, I watched them navigate challenges with grace and determination, never giving up even when things got tough. They showed me that success doesn’t come overnight, it’s earned through consistent effort and resilience.
A story that sticks with me is when I was struggling with self-doubt during an important phase in my career. My mom, may she rest in peace, sat me down and reminded me of all the obstacles I had already overcome, telling me, “You’re stronger than you think, and you have everything it takes to keep pushing forward.” That encouragement reignited my confidence and motivated me to keep striving for my goals.
My parents also instilled in me a strong sense of integrity and the importance of giving back to my community. This has influenced my commitment to empowering others, especially young people of color, through education and mentorship. Their example has been a constant reminder that success is not just about personal achievement but also about lifting others up along the way.
Ultimately, their love, support, and unwavering belief in me have been the foundation of my journey, helping me become the leader and professional I am today.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi, I’m Akilah, a passionate Cybersecurity Architect, Executive Director, and advocate dedicated to empowering underserved communities through STEAM education and technology.
My journey into the tech and cybersecurity field started with a deep curiosity about how things work behind the scenes and a strong desire to create safer digital spaces. Over the years, I built my expertise in security and compliance, focusing on protecting organizations while making complex concepts accessible to diverse audiences.
Alongside my technical career, I lead the operations of STEAM Your Dreams as the Executive Director, an organization committed to engaging minority boys and girls through gamified STEAM learning experiences. We blend Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics with eGaming and esports to inspire curiosity, creativity, and leadership skills. Our flagship event, the Baltimore Ocean Bowl Games, brings this vision to life, providing hands-on activities in coding, robotics, drone engineering, and more; all in culturally responsive ways that build confidence and connect youth to career opportunities.
What sets me apart is this unique blend of deep technical knowledge and a heartfelt commitment to community impact. I don’t just build solutions, I build people. I focus on creating pathways for underrepresented youth to thrive in tech, breaking down barriers and expanding possibilities.
I’m most proud of the real, lasting impact STEAM Your Dreams has made in hundreds of young lives, helping them envision themselves as leaders, creators, and innovators. My brand stands for Purpose, Impact, and Inspiration through technology and education, not the usual PII you hear about in tech circles, but a powerful play on words that reflects what truly matters.
For potential partners, clients, and followers, I want you to know that my work is driven by passion, purpose, and proven results. Whether it’s securing complex systems or nurturing the next generation of tech leaders, I’m here to make an impact that lasts.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Last year, I experienced one of the most profound challenges of my life, the loss of my mom, who was not only my biggest supporter but also my guiding light. Navigating the deep personal grief while maintaining my professional responsibilities was incredibly difficult. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed, questioning how I could move forward. But I realized that giving up wasn’t an option, especially because my work with STEAM Your Dreams was about empowering young people to overcome their own obstacles and realize their potential.
I chose to channel my pain into purpose. I threw myself even more passionately into the mission of STEAM Your Dreams; creating opportunities, sparking curiosity, and building confidence in hundreds of young minds, especially young boys and girls of color who often face systemic barriers. That loss became a catalyst for deeper commitment and innovation in our programs.
This experience taught me that resilience is not just about enduring hardship but transforming it into fuel for growth, impact, and change. It reinforced the power of staying connected to your “why” and showed me how personal pain can become a powerful motivator to uplift others. Every challenge since then has reminded me that true strength comes from turning adversity into purpose and continuing to push forward, no matter the obstacles.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
One important lesson I had to unlearn was the idea that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Early in my career, I believed that to succeed, I had to do everything on my own, to be self-reliant to the point of isolation. I thought that showing vulnerability would undermine my credibility or make me seem less capable.
The backstory is tied to my upbringing and the culture around me, where strength was often equated with independence and handling challenges alone. But over time, through both professional and personal experiences, including leading STEAM Your Dreams and navigating life’s hardships, I realized that collaboration, seeking support, and being open to others’ perspectives are not weaknesses but essential strengths.
Unlearning this lesson transformed how I lead and grow. It opened doors to mentorship, partnerships, and community that have been critical to the impact I’m able to make. Now, I embrace vulnerability as a source of connection and growth, and I encourage others, especially young leaders to do the same.
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