#givingTuesday

Hello World!

How are you? Happy Tuesday, I imagine it is hard to not realize that it is also #givingTuesday, a time that charities, non profits, and movements ask for your contributions. It can be challenging to give money, especially if you shopped with Black Friday or Cyber Monday, or if you are just not in a spot to shop at all. I realized today though, that you can give time, talent, awareness and positive energy to the causes you care about and I believe, it is just as valuable. I gave a talk at my university today and it was a simple thing, to share my knowledge and experiences, but it seemed to matter. I left feeling energized and inspired, like the real giving was really to me. That is the beauty of giving your time to things you care about, it comes back to you in ways you don’t expect. I am grateful to be able to give and receive and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

:)

Sorry not sorry?

Hello World!
I’m still here, and back where I was before, feeling bad about my lack of blogging. To anyone who has missed my posts I am truly sorry. I realized however I am not sorry for pursuing my dreams and living a stylish STEM life, which is busy crazy fun and the like. From Science Friday with Ira Flatow to meeting fashion designer scientists, to writing book chapters, to spending time with family, life in the STEM lane is always busy. Can I be better with my time, tech, writing, etc? Yes. But I do not want to apologize for being me, the only thing I can be. Being surrounded by awesome ladies who also strive to have a positive impact while balancing demands has taught me, we can always be better and we can always be worse, Together we rise and be greater than the sum of our parts. We should never feel bad about that!
:)

astronauts and actresses

Hello World!
What do the two careers in the post title have in common? They are both women! I went to an event the other day where I got to hang out with my astronaut colleague Dr. Cagle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Cagle to support her really amazing outreach for STEM and while I was there, I met the super cool actress from Hidden Figures, Karan Kendrick!



I encourage you to check out her site and girls empowerment tour (and awesome t-shirt and other swag that supports women in STEM) http://www.karankendrick.com/

In a later talk by Dr. Cagle, I learned how she came to be on stage at the 2017 Oscars with the entire cast and the original Hidden Figures. She shared that every journey starts with a dream and a step, and every step gets you closer to a goal, though you don't always know it at the time. Both ladies shared the importance of working smart, positive attitude, and going for your passion- no matter what anyone says. I am inspired, and know that I must make the time to blog more, and dream more.  I don't know that I will ever be on an Oscar stage, but I am inspired to dream Big and dream STEM! What's your dream?
:)

Women and Drones

Hello World!
What an amazing past year it has been, I have completed more school, given over 50 talks advocating STEM, diversity, and technology, made new friends and found new topics to enjoy. I am so very grateful for a life in STEM. Recently, I was fortunate to recently meet the super cool, stylish, smart, and lovely President of Women in Drones!

Did you know women are drone operators, makers, pilots, designers, and more? We Are! And we have so much to offer this relatively new field, equity and diversity are more encouraged and possible than ever before. It is very exciting. Check out the links below for more!

http://womenanddrones.com/

http://fortune.com/2015/07/01/women-drone-industry/
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/9-incredible-ways-apos-using-145141619.html

 :)

My Life in Tech

Hello World!
Wow, time is truly flying. It seems I am always apologizing for my lack of blogging. It is certainly not for a lack of tech, or a lack of caring. My life in tech has had me literally all over the world and sometimes out of internet! I would not trade it for anything. I am very grateful to be doing these things and living my dreams. I hope you are out living your dreams too.

Some of the fun recent techy things I've been up to- I am excited to have been selected for Silicon Valley's 2017 Women of Influence award, going to Central Asia with Techwomen, South Africa with 500 start ups geeks on a plane African Technology Foundation, Spelman College for their annual Research Festival, User Testing to talk about vision science, and more!

Here are a few of my favorite pics from recent adventures. I don't know if I have mastered style while traveling, but I do think STEM (to include arts, manufacturing, etc.) can allow you to live as glamorous as any celebrity if you choose!

From Central Asia,

To Southern Most Africa,

The future of STEM is clear and here!

:)

Thank you Martin Luther King

Hello World!
Today I would like to thank Martin Luther King Jr. for his advocacy, dedication, and significant contribution to making the world a better place. I cannot imagine life without the friends and family who do not look like me, who do not speak the same language, who are different by many definitions that do not matter but so similar based on the ones that do. I am thankful it is not a crime to be with my loved ones. I know it wasn't, and isn't, always this way. As we reflect on the past, consider the future, and act in the present, we have decisions to make moving forward. What do we want for ourselves? What can we do to achieve that?  I was fortunate to hear Jerry Davis, the Chief Information Officer for NASA and one of the Nation's top African American STEM minds (https://www.captechu.edu/news-events/news-headlines/1826) speak about what Martin Luther King means to him. In his talk titled, Chaos or Community: Where do we go from here? Drawing upon a past Martin Luther King lecture, I learned that the answers from the past are as relevant today.He shared inspiring words about choice- the choice to choose forgiveness over fear, love over hate, compassion, and humility over despair. It was a message that we all have an opportunity to take failures and turn them into success, through communication and continued personal and community effort. We don't choose our challenges and obstacles, but we can choose how we respond to them. It reminded me the importance of reaching out, of giving acceptance and love, even when it is hard, and not giving up. Ever.

Resources for Dr. King

http://www.thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king
 
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr

:)

Hidden Figures

Hello World!
I just saw the movie, Hidden Figures and I have to say, it is no exaggeration that NASA owes its space prowess thanks to African American Women Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson . The movie makes me truly proud of their individual achievement, the accomplishments of women, and the accomplishments of African Americans. I believe we are all connected and we share successes. We also share pasts, presents, and futures. I am saddened by history and how they were treated. I am saddened by the reality of how many people are still treated so poorly today. History is reality though and being sad cannot change that. It also will not change the present or future. It is crucial to let ourselves see history as it happened, to see our part in its continuation however unintended. It is important to  know that each and every one of us has the opportunity to positively influence another life, and even many lives. I do not want to spoil the movie, but I think the take away is, that we must use our talents (even in the face of adversity), that we have a responsibility to bring others up and invest in treating everyone (to include ourselves) with dignity and respect, and that the future Demands diversity!

You MUST see this movie! And/Or read the book!

http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/hidden-figures

In addition to seeing the movie, you can check out  resources such as

http://www.futurekatherinejohnsons.com/
http://www.blackgirlscode.com/
https://www.blacksintechnology.net/
http://www.inc.com/kathryn-finney/9-awesome-black-women-tech-founders-to-watch.html

Why should you check out these links? Because it is important to normalize the pictures in our mind to include all people. So much of the messaging we've received does not include women, minorities, and marginalized people. To move forward, we must be able to contradict negative messages that society has imparted over many ages. How to do this? We must learn and be exposed, and more importantly be active. It is not enough to watch the movie, that is a great start, but action is still required. Next comes making a point to share, to inspire, to bring people to the table who do not look like you, providing resources to further these efforts, and to see and encourage the diversity and capability in all of us.

Our work is far from done, but is exciting how far (to the moon and beyond!) it can take us when we try.

Image from internet search screenshot

:)