If ever there was a time to rally together and build one another up, it’s now. Inspiration is contagious, and when 13-year-old aspiring astronaut, Taylor Richardson was invited to an exclusive, A-list screening of the movie Hidden Figures in Washington, D.C, she was truly inspired. “The biggest takeaway for me was when Michelle Obama stated that we have to do the work and that we have to take a seat at the STEM table and bring others with us,” Richardson said in an interview with Forbes. After hearing those words from the First Lady, the 7th grader asked herself, “What can I do to help others know they can dream big and with faith and hard work, even be a mathematician or an astronaut?”
Upon returning to her Jacksonville, Florida home, Richardson talked to her mom about launching a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for other kids to see the movie. The teen, who goes by the name 'Astronaut Starbright', raised a total of $17,000 to send about 1000 students to see the movie. In addition to that, she also gave away goodie bags with movie posters, copies of the book and snacks.
More than just a box-office hit and critically acclaimed film, Hidden Figures tells the story of three African-American women mathematicians who helped send John Glenn into space. “The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big,” Richardson said. “The women in the movie had every odd against them, but they fought for their dreams and made it.”
At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before 13-year-old Taylor Richardson joins the ranks of the many smart, talented and driven black women who paved history.
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