STANDING WITH GIANTS: Reflections on the 2025 Black Beauty STEMinist Summit at Spelman

ATLANTA, GA -- From June 6-8th, the campus of Spelman College buzzed with brilliance, energy, and purpose at the Black Beauty STEMinist Summit. The event was powered by L'Oréal Paris and curated by the visionary Dr. Letye Winfield -- the Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Spelman College, the first HBCU with a cosmetic chemistry program.

Dr. Letye Winfield and Sakeya Donaldson pose for a picture at the Black Beauty STEMinist Summit.

As we take the Juneteenth holiday to rest, we find ourselves reflecting on what freedom, liberty, and justice truly mean -- and how each generation must vigilantly protect and honor our history and legacies, never becoming complacent in the fight for true freedom and liberation. This year alone has been colossal for our team -- full of growth and breakthroughs. And over the past few weeks, our founder has been super intentional about remaining committed to the work that sustains The Science of Beauty: representation, curiosity, creativity, and culture.

The Black Beauty STEMinist Summit at Spelman was a powerful convergence that reminded us why we must keep sharing and carrying Black legacies -- the ones we hold dear, the ones we Inherit from our road-building ancestors, and the ones being carved in real time by changemakers like those we encountered throughout the weekend. Our Founder, Sakeya Donaldson, had the immense honor of standing among some of the giants in attendance, serving as the Mistress of Ceremonies. On day one, she recounted:

"I saw students, researchers, and executives coming together to explore everything from cosmetic chemistry to entrepreneurship. It was amazing seeing the power of collaboration in such a niche space!"

On day two, we screened our short documentary, The Summer of Science, to a room full of people who understood the importance of young minds engaging in STEM through culturally relevant, creative learning to re-imagine entry points in the beauty industry. In our team meeting, Sakeya expressed how deeply affirming the weekend was:

"I connected with professionals across the industry. Chile, I even met the iconic Sam Fine Beauty -- who I've admired since my early twenties. The 22-year-old me would've never dreamed of that!"

Sam Fine and Sakeya Donaldson -- living the dream!

Dr. Winfield has been a longtime supporter and advocate of our work. Her invitation last year to bring our summer programming to Spelman gave The Science of Beauty a platform, visibility, and credibility that continues to fuel our expansion. Her trust and partnership have opened doors not only for our founder but for every student we serve. As we prepare for graduation, wrapping up the first stop on The 2025 Summer of Science (SOS) HBCU Tour, we've been carrying the spirit of the summit with us -- full of gratitude and momentum.

"I'm especially grateful to Dr. Letye Winfield for seeing and believing in me," said Sakeya. "This weekend she invited me on stage and simply said, 'Do your thing.' That kind of support is rare, and I don't take that for granted. The summit kept me reminded of why we do this work -- to create access, open eyes, and build a future where our girls know that they belong in science, leadership, and at any table."

And that's exactly what we'll keep doing.

Happy Juneteenth!

-The Science of Beauty Team