Atiyah Harmon

Fearless Stem Leader And Founder Of Black Girls Love Math

1993 was a historic year at Girard College. This was the year that the first female students graduated from the high school. This also was the year that Atiyah Harmon,’98, a curious and shy seventh grader, completed her first year at Girard, ready to face the unknown paths before her.

By the time Atiyah was a senior in June 1998, she had become an exceptional student-athlete, taking honors classes, and helping the track team earn a second-place medal in the 4x100 relay during the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state track and field championships under the direction of former Girard coach Richard Leek.

Coach Leek was like a surrogate father to Atiyah, and he helped her see the potential that she did not always see in herself. He had one mantra: “Don’t lie. Don’t cheat. Don’t steal.” He was incredibly special to her, so much so that they stayed connected years after she graduated from Girard. A day before he died of a heart attack in February 2014, Atiyah and Coach Leek talked on the phone. Little did she know that would be the last conversation she would have with her dear mentor and friend.

After Girard, Atiyah attended Penn State University and the University of Pennsylvania, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in human development, respectively. She later returned to Girard as a residential advisor and track coach. The former student turned coachmentor then decided to change careers and become a teacher. Becoming a teacher was a natural career progression. But she wasn’t going to become just any teacher, she was going to become a math teacher.

She pursued a second master’s degree in education from Teachers College, Columbia University and began a trailblazing path to educate young people in math. What she discovered was the stark difference between how black boys and girls accept and understand math. Early on, the playing field is equal between both groups but by middle school, the confidence level of girls subsides.

By 2020, Atiyah had advanced through the ranks in educational leadership, even becoming a principal before transitioning to an administrative role where she helped with developing math and science assessments at local charter school networks. Her work ethic was unmatched, but her observations and efforts regarding math education, particularly around black girls, was unsettling to her. Hence, Black Girls Love Math (BGLM)™ was born.

Before BGLM, there were few resources focused on educating young black girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects. Antonio Vance, her friend, and board chair of BGLM encouraged her years before to consider creating a space for black girls to love and enjoy math. Atiyah pulled from her experience of being a math educator and tutor to create the purpose behind BGLM: to allow black girls to find their confidence with how they learn and understand math. Atiyah prioritized getting to know the girls as people first and understanding their fears and anxieties around math comprehension.

The goal for her BGLM students was simple: to become fearless learners and produce a growth mindset to overcome any obstacle they encounter. Her proudest moments are watching her students’ progress in their ability to understand and enjoy math. She also took two of her own student ambassadors to Spelman College this past year to see what is possible in various STEM careers.

Through it all, Atiyah enjoys her students' energy and the endless pursuit of creating more opportunities for black girls to love math but more importantly, to love themselves. As she looks back over her life after Girard College, 12-year-old Atiyah would be proud of the woman she has become today.