Twenty years ago, Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer started teaching hip hop dance in afterschool programs and quickly found that students thrived but needed more. Now a nationally-recognized Forbes 50 Culture Champion, her work has grown to include financial education, vocational, life and social skills training, entrepreneurship, system navigation services and emergency resources for underserved youth. Since starting,she has served over 880,000 youth across the country, developing some of Hollywood’s most sought after young dancers including the 2016 winner of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, 2018 World of Dance stars, members of the Jabbawockeez, and more.
Miss Tee’s graduates currently travel the world performing with stars such as Justin Beiber, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Usher, Beyonce, Ellen & More. Her students have gone on to work for the White House and be seen on the stages of MTV Music Awards, Nick Choice Awards, BET Awards and more, as well as, defy the statistical odds. Urban Magazine had the opportunity to learn more about her empowering background and the nationwide expansion of her non-profit, Studio T Arts and Entertainment:
How did your upbringing lead you toward the work you do?
I was raised in Richmond, CA to a single mother in a family of six children. Growing up, I experienced the devastation the war on drugs had on the black community firsthand. As a teen, I sought avenues of art and culture to escape my surroundings. That hard fought access served as a catalyst for my commitment to paving the way for youth across the country, allowing them access to entrepreneurial programs, dance lessons, and financial development. We accomplish this by assessing participants’ needs and then guiding them to the programs that are most beneficial. Our ultimate goal, for over 20 years, is to keep young people off the streets by giving them positive and creative social alternatives to drugs, teen pregnancy, gang violence, and suicide. We started by teaching dance in schools, urban housing developments, after school programs, and community centers and that growing need has led us to now expanding to several locations nationwide.
So, my unique experience as a Black CEO and a champion for the arts and entrepreneurship, was born out of survival and keeping myself off the dangerous streets of the East Bay. Now, the work I do to empower the youth is to pay it forward by creating pathways to emotional and economic stability.
What was the original vision for Studio T, and how has it evolved?
My vision has always been to use the arts combined with entrepreneurship to keep kids off the streets. It started with hip hop dance in local parks and on the asphalt, to now opening our new 36,000 square foot facility in Sacramento, as well as locations opening soon in Tulsa, OK, Philadelphia, PA, Harlem, NY, and Atlanta, GA. Our flagship Sacramento building is valued at $4M and we’re building out eight main rooms to offer dance, photography, videography, podcasting, culinary arts, music production studios, performance theater, web development, private movie theater. The innovative creation space will be a reflection of more than my entrepreneurial journey, but also the invaluable skillsets, determination and creativity of the youth our organization directly impacts. It amazes me how the work has transformed the lives of so many of our youth, with some of them starting their own businesses and touring with major superstar artists.
What are the most common challenges black and brown students face, and how have your programs impacted them positively?
Some of the most common challenges are systemic, such as a lack of job opportunities. There’s very few decent jobs available for youth and they pay poorly. In addition to that, their basic needs are often not met. So things like food, hygiene items, and money and technology are often lacking in our communities. Studio T Arts and Entertainment aims to give our students skills that can not only bring them joy, but also financial stability.
As a mentor and educator, what values do you think are most important to instill in younger generations?
We work really hard to help our students grow in character and integrity. Our goal is to also help them understand that they are their “brothers keeper”. Their actions affect the outcomes of others and the communities they live in. As we’re building the young leaders of tomorrow, we have to challenge them to make good decisions and utilize their gifts, talents, and influence in a positive way.
As an award-winning businesswoman and impact leader, what advice would you give to other non-profit owners seeking a similar level of success?
The best advice I could give is to never quit! There were many times when circumstances would’ve suggested I give up, such as losing my home, building, and marriage during the tumultuous aftermath of the recession in 2008. It was challenging to sustain my business and my family during that time. But, I found ways to still serve those who needed me, and eventually we did find our footing and new ways to reinvent our products and services leading to a thriving national organization. No matter how things appear at the moment, if you’ve been created to make a difference in some way, never quit.
With Black History Month approaching, can you share an influential Black figure who has been a beacon of inspiration to your life, and why?
Mrs. Debbie Allen Has been my dance hero since I was nine years old when I first watched her teach on the dance on a show called, “Fame.” Although I’ve never been in a studio environment with her, she has become a mentor from a distance for several decades. I learned how to pull greatness out of young people from observing her, and it ignited my passion for helping others achieve their dreams and building the empire that Studio T Arts is becoming. Our organization has her thumbprint all over it because of how influential she’s been in my life. My ultimate dream is to thank her publicly for the impact she’s made on me privately.
