#Role Models

Seeing Possibility: How Visibility Shapes Who We Become

History shows how a single figure can reframe possibility. When Sally Ride flew in 1983, millions of girls suddenly saw an astronaut who shared their gender; later, her organization, Sally Ride Science (founded 2001), built that spark into programs for diverse students. Meanwhile, Nichelle Nichols’s role as Lt. Uhura on Star Trek (1966) and her later NASA recruiting campaign helped bring women and minorities into the astronaut corps; Mae Jemison has often cited Uhura’s influence before becoming the first Black woman in space (1992). Cultural breakthroughs like Hidden Figures (2016) further filled in missing chapters, making invisible pioneers—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson—visible to classrooms worldwide. Such stories don’t merely inspire; they normalize a broader map of who belongs in the cockpit, the lab, or the corner office. [...]

The Fastest Way to Change: Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People - Unknown

Being around successful individuals serves as a constant source of inspiration. Their achievements can motivate you to push past your own limitations and pursue similar accomplishments. [...]