To me, culturally responsive teaching is: 

A teachers' responsibility to recognize the cultures, attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of each individual student, and to incorporate this understanding into how one teaches each student. Culturally responsive teaching recognizes the strengths of each student, and has a specific focus on students with diverse ethnic backgrounds. Through this work, teachers are able to empower students to become independent and confident. 

One of my goals as a teacher with a focus on STEM is that STEM curriculum can provide a framework for reaching ALL students. Along with this, I focus on culturally responsive teaching my classroom. According to Hammond, author of "Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain" (2015), "[w]hile the achievement gap has created the epidemic of dependent learners, culturally responsive teaching is one of our most powerful tools for helping students find their way out of the gap" (15). 

I see STEM as one of the many pathways to close the achievement gap. 

References:

Hammond, Zaretta. (2015). Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Corwin.