In her talk, Dr. Ansley Booker challenges society, academia, and families to believe that STEM is not only accessible but achievable for all. Ansley Booker is the Interim Director for the Mercer University Educational Opportunity Center (TRiO Programs). After earning her master’s from UGA’s College of Pharmacy, she later went on to earn her PhD with Mercer University’s Higher Education Leadership program. Recently, Booker successfully defended her dissertation on African American women who have obtained STEM graduate degrees. She has received Georgia Southern University’s 40 Under 40 alumni award as well as the STAR Award from Mercer University’s Student Affairs Division. Booker is also a proud member of the University of Georgia’s Black Alumni Leadership Council, and she was recently featured by Georgia Daze; both programs encourage talented, historically underrepresented students to enroll at the University of Georgia. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx