At Shine My Crown, we celebrate the achievements of Black women all year long. This month is no different. On Black History Month, we’re highlighting remarkable women who have broken through glass ceilings to become the movers and shakers in medicine, tech, astronomy, healthcare, finance, media, government, and so much more!
Today, we honor Jessica Watkins, a NASA astronaut, geologist, aquanaut and former international rugby player.
The 34-year-old broke ground last year when she became the first Black woman to complete an International Space Station long-term mission. She is only the fifth Black woman to travel to space and became an official crew member of the SpaceX Crew-4, which has hosted over 260 people in its over 20-year history.
“It is this kind of exciting combination of emotions, as you’re sitting there on the rocket getting ready to launch,” Watkins told CNN in an interview. “But really, the launch itself is just amazing. And by the time the launch itself is actually occurring, you’re fully focused on the operational side of things.”
She said accomplishing the trailblazing feat was no easy task, but she believes a large part of why she was able to reach new heights, was simply because she believed in herself.
“One of the most important things to be able to share is just the importance of dreaming big and really being able to find your path,” the Maryland native said. “Find something that you’re passionate about.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion remain an issue that plagues the space program, although there has been progress in the implementation of women and people of color. She credits Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space, as an instrumental figure in inspiring her to chase dreams out of this world.
“I see places where I wish there was more representation, but I definitely felt the impact of the representation that did exist,” Watkins said. It was valuable “to see people who looked like me who had backgrounds and experiences like me, in the roles that I aspired to, and contributing in the ways that I aspired to contribute.”
She further added that she hopes to do a good job of representing, reaching out and connecting with the community. “It will definitely be a priority for me.”
