♪♪
- GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY
FOR A CANDID DISCUSSION
ON REPRESENTATION, IDENTITY, AND DIVERSITY
HERE AT MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.
THIS IS PART ONE OF TWO EVENTS
THAT WE HAVE PLANNED THIS MONTH
IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY.
SO, YOU-- WE HOPE THAT YOU JOIN US AGAIN
NEXT WEEK TUESDAY AT 10 A.M.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY THIS DIALOGUE TODAY.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME.
WE INVITE YOU TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
SO, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP
AS YOU HEAR THESE PANELISTS SPEAK,
GO AHEAD AND TYPE IT IN THE CHAT BOX.
I WILL BE MONITORING THROUGHOUT AND TOWARDS THE END,
WE'LL TRY TO FIT AS MANY IN AS TIME WILL ALLOW.
PLEASE, IF YOU ARE NOT ONE OF THE PANELISTS
OR THE MODERATOR,
PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR MICS MUTED
AND YOUR CAMERAS OFF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, IF CLOSED CAPTIONING IS A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
THAT YOU NEED, UM, IT IS AVAILABLE.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK THE THREE--
UM, THE THREE DOTS ON YOUR--
IN THE TOP RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN.
IF YOU CLICK ON THAT AND SCROLL DOWN,
YOU'LL SEE AN OPTION THAT SAYS
"TURN ON LIVE CAPTIONS."
UM, SO, THAT IS AN OPTION
IF YOU NEED THAT THIS MORNING.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE EXCITED TO GET STARTED.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE MY BOSS, LOUCIOUS HIRES,
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
TO JOIN US AT THIS TIME
AND INTRODUCE OUR PANELISTS
AND OUR MODERATOR.
LOUCIOUS?
- THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMANDA.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO
AND THE REST OF THE TEAM
TO REALLY PUT THESE EVENTS ON
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
SO, GOOD MORNING.
I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY WELCOME YOU ALL
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR LUNCH AND LEARN TODAY.
LIKE ALL OTHER SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAMS
THAT ODEO SPONSORS,
OUR GOAL HERE TODAY IS TO NOT ONLY
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY,
BUT TO PROMOTE A COHESIVE, COLLABORATIVE,
DIVERSE, AND INCLUSIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
MOVING FROM EQUALITY TO EQUITY
FOR OUR ENTIRE WORKFORCE.
AND ALTHOUGH THESE PROGRAMS ARE NAMED
AFTER A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY OF THE MARSHALL POPULATION,
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO FULLY PARTICIPATE,
REGARDLESS OF DEMOGRAPHIC IDENTITY.
IN FACT, WE INVITE YOU TO INVITE SOMEONE
WHO'S NOT OF ANY OTHER DIVERSE CATEGORIES
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CLASSIFY FOR YOURSELF--
RACE, AGE, GENDER.
OR WHAT ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CODE?
WE'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO INVITE SOMEONE ELSE
TO PARTICIPATE WITH YOU.
AND MORE THAN THAT,
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE ODEO TEAM
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY EVENTS.
UH, I'LL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TODAY
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASING YOUR ABILITY
TO UNDERSTAND, APPRECIATE, AND LEAD OUR DIVERSE WORK FORCE
BY [INDISTINCT]
NASA'S ABILITY TO ACHIEVE MISSION SUCCESS.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
OUR FOUR PANELISTS FOR TODAY.
AND THEN, WE HAVE SOME SUPERSTARS FOR YOU.
BUT OF COURSE, THEY'RE FROM MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER,
SO WHAT ELSE WOULD WE EXPECT?
SO, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE WITH US TODAY BRIAN ODOM.
ODOM, WHO IS ALSO THE ACTING NASA CHIEF HISTORIAN.
DWIGHT MOSBY,
PAYLOAD MISSIONS OPERATIONS DIVISION MANAGER.
RHEGA GORDON,
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
AND ARTHUR BROWN,
ECLSS INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT DEPUTY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, PANELISTS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME
TO ENGAGE IN THIS CRUCIAL CONVERSATION.
OUR 20-- OUR 2021 THEME IS
REPRESENTATION, IDENTITY, AND DIVERSITY.
TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE.
NOT ONLY DO WE ACHIEVE BY BEING DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE
AT NASA AND MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER,
BUT BY BEING PART OF OUR COMMUNITY
AND OUR COMMUNITY BEING PART OF US.
YOU KNOW, NASA HAS A HISTORY
OF BEING INVOLVED WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
AND HOPEFULLY, WE WILL GET TO LEARN
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT TODAY.
NASA ALSO NEEDS PARTNERS.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP US TO RECRUIT,
RETAIN, AND EVEN DEVELOP THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST
SO NOT ONLY WILL THEY WANT TO COME TO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY,
BUT STAY.
SO, WE NEED PARTNERS.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
WHO ARE FORWARD-LEANING AND INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY
AND UNDERSTAND THAT-- THE VALUE OF COLLABORATION.
NOT ONLY WITH MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER,
BUT OUT ALL OF THE RESTON-- OF ALL THE RESTON ARSENAL.
SO, SAYIN' ALL THAT,
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR MODERATOR
FOR TODAY'S LUNCH AND LEARN.
OUR SPECIAL GUEST MODERATOR TODAY
IS NO OTHER THAN DR. KAROCKAS WATKINS,
AKA "DOC ROCK,"
CEO/PRESIDENT OF ABILITY PLUS.
UM, AND A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT DR. WATKINS,
ALTHOUGH I COULD TALK ABOUT HIM ALL DAY
AND HIS VIDEO-- HIS BIO IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
FIRST OF ALL, HE'S A SERVANT.
HE HOLDS MULTIPLE DEGREES
FROM A BACHELOR'S IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
FROM-FROM KETTERING UNIVERSITY,
A MASTERS OF THEOLOGY, TWO DOCTORATE DEGREES,
ONE IN THEOLOGY
AND THE OTHER IN PHILOSOPHY,
BOTH FROM NORTH CAROLINA'S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY,
AND BEING A GRADUATE OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
OWEN GRADUATE SCHOOL EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
IN BUSINESS EXCELLENCE.
DR. WATKINS ALSO EXCELS IN LEADERSHIP CONSULTING
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AS WELL AS BEING AN EXPERT IN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE,
CERTIFIED AS A TRAINED TRAINER,
UH, THROUGH TELESMART IN SAN--
TELESMART IN SAN DIEGO.
HE IS A CERTIFIED LEADERSHIP COACH
AND CERTIFIED EXECUTIVE COACH.
DR. WATKINS HAS OVER 250--
LEAD OVER 250 CRUSADES AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES
IN 20 PLUS COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
AS A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER.
DR. WATKINS IS CURRENTLY THE CEO OF ABILITY PLUS,
WHICH EMPLOYS OVER 600 PEOPLE
AND SERVES INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL
AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
HE IS ALSO--
HE IS ALSO CEO OF VISION EX-- EXCELLENCE COMPANY,
WHICH PROVIDES LEADERSHIP CONSULTING
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO LEADERS WORLDWIDE.
A LOT GOING ON, BUT THAT'S STILL NOT ALL HE'S DOIN'.
HE PASSIONATELY SERVES HIS COMMUNITY
BY ACTIVELY SERVIN' ON MULTIPLE BOARDS
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
HE CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE BOARD
AS VICE CHAIR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
HE, UH, LAUNCHED 2035 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF 100,
[INDISTINCT] SOUTH REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD,
PART OF THE VALLEY YMCA,
AAMU STRATEGIC ADVISORY BOARD OF COLLEGE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
AND DR. WATKINS IS ALSO A NATIVE OF DECATUR, ALABAMA
AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MANY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
AND REV-REVITALIZATION ENDEAVORS.
HE IS MARRIED TO DR. AUDREY WATKINS.
THEY HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS, BRIANNA, 24, KRISTINA, 21,
AND A 14-YEAR-OLD SON, JOSHUA.
DR. WATKINS HAS BEEN AN ORDAINED MINISTER FOR 30 YEARS
AND SERVED AS THE GENERAL OVERSEER
OF THE EMMANUEL CHURCH IN MADISON, ALABAMA.
AND HE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT
SEEING PEOPLE LIVE PRODUCTIVE LIVES
AND THROUGH--
HE IS GRACE TO SERVE IN ALL OF THESE--
AND THOUGHT-- AND THANKFUL,
HE IS GRATEFUL TO SERVE IN ALL OF THESE CAPACITIES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO--
INTRODUCE-- INVITE DR. WATKINS TO TAKE OVER.
DOC ROCK?
- THANK YOU, UH, LOUCIOUS.
AND, UH, I CALL TODAY, UH, "WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY."
I'M LOOKIN' FORWARD TO HAVIN'
A GREAT CONVERSATION, UH, TODAY.
WANNA THANK NASA.
WANNA THANK JODY SINGER, WHO WAS A CLASSMATE OF MINE
IN LEADERSHIP, HUNTSVILLE.
L30 CLASS.
THE ULTIMATE CLASS, AS WE SAY.
UM, AND ALSO, THE OFFICE OF
DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY,
UH, HERE AT NASA FOR ALLOWING ME
TO JOIN IN ON THIS CONVERSATION TODAY
AS WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION,
SOMETHING THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT.
SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE IS
VERY IMPORTANT TO WHERE WE ARE,
NOT JUST, UH, TODAY
AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED
ON LAST YEAR,
BUT BECAUSE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING
AND WHERE OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD IS HEADING.
AND, UH, SO, UH, WE HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF PANELISTS
THAT'S GONNA BE ON TODAY
THAT I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR ALL OF Y'ALL.
I DON'T KNOW, UH, SOME OF YOU ALL, UH, INDIVIDUALLY,
BUT READIN' WHAT YOU DO
AND-AND KNOWIN' LOUCIOUS AND, UH,
I'M SURE THAT WE GONNA LEARN A LOT TOGETHER TODAY.
AND I'M LOOKIN' FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
I'M GONNA ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS I MAY DIRECT
TO CERTAIN PEOPLE ON THE PANEL,
BUT I WANT THE PANEL TO JOIN IN ON MOST OF THE QUESTIONS
IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.
IF YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE JOININ' IN
ON A CERTAIN QUESTION,
THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER, UH, THAT QUESTION.
WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL TO GO THROUGH.
WE HAVE LESS THAN A-- ABOUT AN HOUR--
LESS THAN AN HOUR.
SO, UH, I'VE DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES, UH, LATELY.
AND SO, WE'LL SEE HOW FAR WE GET TODAY.
BUT I'M SURE WE-WE GONNA LEARN A LOT.
SO, LET'S JUST JUMP INTO,
UH, THE-THE-THE FIRST QUESTION.
AND I-I-I'M GONNA START THIS QUESTION OUT,
AND, UH, RHEGA, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO,
UH, BE THE FIRST ONE TODAY.
I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
BUT-- AND HERE IT IS.
DOES REPRESENTATION MATTER?
AND WERE THERE LEADERS YOU LOOKED LI--
WHO LOOKED LIKE YOU
THAT INFLUENCED YOUR PATH TO LEADERSHIP?
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WORDS OF WISDOM
YOU WOULD GIVE AN EMPLOYEE
THAT LOOKS TO YOU AS THE LEADER
THEY STRIVE TO BEC-- TO BECOME-BECOME?
UH, RHEGA, WILL YOU START THAT ONE OFF?
- YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M HAPPY TO START.
GLAD TO BE WITH EVERYONE TODAY.
UH, I THINK REPRESENTATION DEFINITELY MATTERS.
WHEN PEOPLE DON'T SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED
IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ROLES
AND, UM, TAKING, UH--
TAKING, UH, LEAD ROLES IN THE COMPANY
AND ORGANIZATIONS,
THAT LIMITS THEIR, UM--
THEIR POSSIBILITIES IN THEIR MIND.
THEY THINK, "I-I DON'T SEE MYSELF THERE,
THEN MAYBE THERE'S NOT A POSSIBILITY
THAT I CAN BE THERE."
SO, I DEFINITELY THINK, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
EVERYONE CAN SEE THEMSELVES, POTENTIALLY,
IN THESE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
UM, I HAD LOTS OF GREAT INFLUENCES,
UM, THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
I WAS BLESSED WITH A FAMILY OF LEADERS.
UM, SO, I'VE GROWN UP WATCHIN', UM,
MANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS LEAD.
UH, I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD WHERE
LEADERSHIP WASN'T SOME--
WASN'T NECESSARILY AN OPTION.
UH, I GREW UP WHEN, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY CAME UP,
YOU-YOU-YOU HAD AN OBLIGATION TO STEP UP
AND TO SERVE AND TO DO WHAT, UH,
THE COMMUNITY NEEDED YOU TO DO.
SO, I WAS REALLY BLESSED, UM, WITH THAT.
I'VE ALSO HAD A LOT OF, UM,
REALLY POSITIVE MENTORS, UM, AT NASA.
SOME HAVE RETIRED NOW.
UM, I-I WAS, UM, AFRAID TO NAME NAMES
'CAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY OF THEM.
BUT, UH, SOME OF THEM HAVE RETIRED NOW,
BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT, UM, YOU KNOW,
STILL-STILL AT NASA
AND I STILL HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH.
AND I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO MENTOR, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE.
AND I-I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS A JOURNEY WE'RE ALL ON
AND, UM...
THERE'S-THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO'VE GONE BEFORE YOU,
THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKIN' BESIDE YOU,
AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE COMIN' BEHIND YOU.
AND, UH, I LIKE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE
IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES AT ALL TIMES
BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHIN' THAT WE CAN
HELP EACH OTHER WITH AND TO LEARN.
SO, THAT WOULD BE MY ADVICE
TO ANYONE WHO IS LOOKING, UM,
TO GET INTO LEADERSHIP OR TO ADVANCE,
IS TO BUILD YOURSELF A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU,
YOUR PEERS WHO ARE-ARE COMIN', UH, BESIDE YOU,
AND THOSE WHO ARE ALSO COMIN' BEHIND YOU.
- THAT'S GREAT.
AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT, UM,
MANY PEOPLE MISS OPPORTUNITIES
BECAUSE-BECAUSE THEY COME DRESSED IN OVERALLS.
THEY LOOK TOO MUCH LIKE WORK.
[laughter]
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
UH, UH, MIST-- MR. BROWN,
YOU JUMP IN ON THAT QUESTION.
[indistinct].
- SO, UM...
I GUESS I THINK ABOUT REPRESENTATION,
UM, AND IT TAKES ME BACK TO MAYBE A FEW YEARS AGO
WHEN I ACTUALLY WENT TO A CAREER FAIR
AT MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL IN SELMA,
SELMA HIGH SCHOOL.
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, ALABAMA.
UH, BUT YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW IT FROM, YOU KNOW,
THE-THE-THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE MARCH, UH--
THE VOTING RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND ALL THAT.
UM, BUT WHEN I WENT THERE,
UM, IT WAS REALLY, UH,
A BUNCH OF BUSINESSES AND THAT SORT OF THING
FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU-YOU PROMINENTLY HAD THE JUCO,
WHICH DISPLAYED ALL OF THE TRADES,
UH, YOU HAD, LIKE, A PAWN SHOP.
YOU HAD BUSH HOG, WHICH IS LIKE
A LOCAL MANUFACTURER.
AND YOU HAD NASA, RIGHT?
ME, SITTIN' THERE WITH
A $200,000 ROCKET ENGINE ON THE TABLE.
UM, AND THE THING
THAT I KINDA NOTICED WAS THAT,
UM, THEY DON'T- THAT WAS THE FIR--
MY FIRST TIME GOIN' BACK FOR THIS CAREER FAIR
AND FROM WHAT MY TEACHERS--
MY OLD TEACHERS WERE TELLIN' ME,
IS THAT USUALLY, THAT'S PAR FOR THE COURSE.
AND THOSE KIDS DON'T NECESSARILY GET TO SEE
A VISION OF WHAT THEY COULD BE
OUTSIDE OF THE STUFF THAT THEY SEE
EVERYDAY IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND IN SELMA, YOU KNOW,
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE STUFF WE HAVE UP HERE AT--
IN HUNTSVILLE WHERE, YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF THE KIDS GO HOME TO--
TO NASA ENGINEERS AND SEE 'EM EVERYDAY.
UM, UM, AND SO, UM,
IT KIND OF-- IT KIND--
WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT, I THINK THAT
IN ORDER FOR THOSE KIDS TO BE SOMETHIN'
THAT THEY DON'T SEE, UM,
IT TAKES A LOT OF IMAGINATION AND HARD WORK.
AND THAT CAN BE EXHAUSTING WHEN YOU--
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT EXAMPLE RIGHT THERE
IN FRONT OF YOU TO FOLLOW.
AND SO, UM, UM,
THAT'S WHY I THINK REPRESENTATION MATTERS.
BECAUSE IT DOES TRANSLATE TO THE WORKPLACE.
IF YOU DON'T SEE THAT EXAMPLE,
IT DOES TAKE A LOT MORE WORK,
A LOT MORE EFFORT, UH,
A LOT MORE IMAGINATION
TO GO FROM WHERE YOU ARE
TO SOMEPLACE OUT THERE, UM, THAT YOU WANNA BE.
UM, AND I GUESS I WOULD ECHO, UH, MISS GORDON'S, UM, ADVICE
IS TO GET MENTORS.
UM, MENTORSHIP IS IMPORTANT.
THEY CAN--
ESPECIALLY SOMEONE THAT'LL BE, UH,
BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOU.
SO, YEAH.
- I MEAN, I THINK THAT-- I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, [INDISTINCT] SAID
VISION IS BEING ABLE TO SEE FURTHER
THAN YOUR EYES CAN LOOK,
UH, AND-AND I THINK THAT IS SO TRUE.
AND EVEN THE OVERALL--
I THINK THAT'S THOMAS EDISON SAID ABOUT THE OVERALLS.
SO, I-I-- THIS IS GOOD.
I'M-I'M ENJOYING THIS.
HOPE YOU ALL ARE GETTIN' SOMETHIN' OUT OF IT THUS FAR.
UH, DOC-- UH, DR., UH, MOSBY.
HOW ABOUT YOU CH-CHIMIN' IN ON THIS?
- UH, YES.
UM, YOU KNOW,
REPRESENTATION DEFINITELY MATTERS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I-I-I RECALL A TIME
WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN, UH, IN HIGH SCHOOL
AND I WAS TRYIN' TO FIGURE OUT
WHICH WAY MY INTEREST
AND-AND-AND WHAT I NEEDED TO FOCUS MY ATTENTION ON,
UM, WAS-- CAME FROM A FAMILY
THAT WAS VERY GIFTED IN-IN TERMS OF ATHLETICISM.
UM, WE WERE ALL EXPECTED TO PLAY FOOTBALL
AND BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL
AND RUN TRACK.
BUT I ALSO CAME FROM A FAMILY THAT HAD
AN EXPECTATION OF GREATNESS.
NOT NECESSARILY LEADERSHIP, BUT GREATNESS.
UM, I HAD GREAT UNCLES THAT WERE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.
A GREAT UNCLE THAT, UH,
HAD SEVERAL PATENTS AT WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE.
UM, I COME FROM A SMALL TOWN
IN THE, UH, HILLS OF-OF-OF PITTSBURGH,
UH, THAT WAS A STEEL MILL, A COAL MINING TOWN.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE TRADES,
THAT WAS IT.
THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT YOU HAD TO DO
UNLESS YOU WERE AN ATHLETE.
UM, A-AND SO, YOU KNOW,
MY GREAT UNCLES A-AND MY MOM AND MY GRANDMOTHER,
WHO WAS A SOCIAL WORKER AT THE TIME,
WANTED ME TO LEAVE THE AREA.
THEY WANTED ME TO GET EXPOSED TO THINGS
AND-AND, UH, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME,
BEING THIS YOUNG BLACK MAN FROM
A SMALL COAL MINING STEEL MILL TOWN
GOING TO THESE OTHER AREAS
AND-AND SITTING IN THESE CLASSROOMS,
UH, AT THE THESE-- IN THESE COLLEGE TOWNS
AND I'M THE ONLY PERSON OF COLOR.
UM, A-AND SO, YOU KNOW,
I-I WOULD HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS
WITH-WITH MY PARENTS, AND MY MOM SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU NEED TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE."
UM, IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS,
YOU ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO AND EXPERIENCE
NEW AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
THINGS THAT YOU AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY MOM TOOK THAT AS A CHALLENGE
ON-ON-ON HERSELF AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, SHE, UM,
GOT ME ENROLLED IN THE MITE PROGRAM
AT TUSKEGEE, AND SO, YOU KNOW,
MY FIRST TRIP OUTSIDE OF THE STATE
WAS DOWN TO TUSKEGEE, ALABAMA,
UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMERTIME
TO GET A MINORITY INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING,
AND IT WAS SO EYE-OPENING TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, AT THAT TIME,
IT WAS IN THE MID-80s,
TUSKEGEE HAD JUST OPENED THE, UM,
THE, UH-- THEIR ENGINEERING HALL,
THEIR AEROSPACE ENGINEERING HALL
WAS BRAND NEW, BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.
AND I REMEMBER OUR FIRST CLASS,
THEY HANDED US ALL SCIENTIFIC, UH, UH, CA--
UH, CALCULATORS.
AND I HAD NEVER SEEN A CALCULATOR
WITH TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS ON IT
AND-AND THEY TAUGHT US HOW TO USE THE CALCULATORS.
AND I REMEMBER GOIN' HOME AND SAYIN' TO MY MOM, I SAID,
"YOU KNOW, UM,
THAT-THAT WAS A COMPLETELY NEW EXPERIENCE TO ME
AND-AND I'M NOT SO SURE THAT
THAT'S SOMETHIN' THAT I WANNA DO,
BECAUSE I-I'M NOT REALLY COMFORTABLE DOIN' IT."
AND AGAIN, SHE REMINDED ME,
"GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEIN' UNCOMFORTABLE.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE GONNA BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS
AND THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA GET BETTER."
AND, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT, MY MOM ENROLLED ME
IN-IN THE INROADS PROGRAM
AND THAT, AGAIN, WAS EYE-OPENING TO ME
BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE FIELDS
THAT WERE REPRESENTED FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR
AT INROADS WERE ACCOUNTING
AND BUSINESS-RELATED FIELDS.
THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY AFRICAN AMERICAN
OR BLACK, UM, REPRESENTATION
IN TERMS OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
IN THE INROADS PROGRAM AT PITTSBURGH.
AND SO, I WAS ONE OF TWO STUDENTS
THAT WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN ENGINEERING
A-AND SO, THE INROADS COORDINATOR CAME TO US AND SAID,
"YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYIN' OUR BEST
TO-TO MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU,
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT SO SURE WE CAN CONNECT YOU."
AND AGAIN, UM, MY PARENTS, UH,
WERE ABLE TO CONNECT THE INROADS COORDINATOR WITH,
UM, WESTINGHOUSE COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR FUELS DIVISION.
AND SO, THAT WAS MY FIRST REAL INTERNSHIP,
UM, AT-AT THIS COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR FUELS DIVISION
AT WESTINGHOUSE.
AND SO, I-I SAID ALL THAT TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT NECESSARILY
A LEADER THAT INFLUENCES YOU,
SOMETIMES IT'S YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS
THAT ARE TRYIN' TO PUSH YOU TOWARDS GREATNESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE,
WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT MENTORSHIPS,
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED,
SOMEBODY THAT'S ALREADY ENROLLED.
BUT YOUR MENTORS CAN ALSO BE THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE AROUND YOU THAT WANNA PUSH YOU
TOWARDS BEIN' UNCOMFORTABLE
AND PUSH YOU TOWARDS EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS.
- ABSOLUTELY.
I-- DR. MOSBY, THAT-THAT'S GOOD.
I-I-- IT--
I'M REMINDED WHEN I FIRST TOOK OVER THE CHAMBER AS, UH,
VICE CHAIR OF THE, UH, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION,
UH, AND LOUCIOUS WAS AT THAT MEETIN'.
AND I SAID, "EVERYBODY,
WE MUST GET COMFORTABLE BEIN' UNCOMFORTABLE."
AND IT'S SO TRUE.
AND MY-MY-MY FRIEND, LES BROWN,
FRIEND OF MINE, LES SAYS, "GREATNESS IS IN YOU."
AND DOC ROCK SAYS,
"IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME WORK TO GET IT OUT OF US."
ABSOLUTELY.
UM, I-I WANT JUST, UH, NEXT WITH, UH, UH,
DOCTOR-DOCTOR-- DR. ODOM.
UM, AND IT'S A SEPARATE QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, OUR THEME FOR THIS MONTH
INCLUDES THE WORD "IDENTITY," RIGHT?
UH, WE KNOW YOU HAVE DONE SOME EXTENSIVE, UM, RESEARCH
ON AFRICAN AMERICAN IDENTITY IN STEM.
HOW CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A FEW HISTORIC FACTS
ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICANS
WHO PAVED THE WAY HERE, UH,
AT THE MARSHALL FLIGHT SPACE CENTER?
CAN YOU CHIME IN ON THAT, DR. ODOM?
- YEAH. THANKS, DOC ROCK.
I-I-I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, THOUGH,
THIS REPRESENTATION AND MENTORSHIP,
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE
OF TALKING TO OVER THE YEARS
WITH-WITH THESE PROJECTS WERE, YOU KNOW,
WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO-TO, YOU KNOW,
GO TO A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY
AND THEN STEP ON, UH-- ON CAMPUS HERE AT MARSHALL
IN 1963, '64, OR '67.
YOU KNOW, AND THE FACT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW,
JAMES JENNINGS, AGAIN, YOU KNOW,
JAMES HAS SHARED A LOT OF THINGS WITH ME OVER THE YEARS,
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HE TALKED ABOUT
THE FIRST TIME HE'D EVER ENTERED
AN ALL-WHITE ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT?
HE GREW UP IN DANVILLE, ALABAMA
WHERE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, TIGHT SEGREGATION
IN A RURAL AREA AND HE, YOU KNOW,
JUST, HIS WHOLE WORLD WAS SEGREGATED.
AND-AND WHEN HE SHOWS UP AT MARSHALL,
IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S-HE'S WALKIN' IN
AS AN INTERN FROM ALABAMA A&M
IN 1967, YOU KNOW,
SCRAMBLIN' TO FIND SOMEONE TO--
YOU KNOW, TO TELL HIM WHAT'S GOIN' ON HERE,
YOU KNOW, AND-AND-AND HE TALKED ABOUT THAT,
THAT, YOU KNOW, IT--
HOPEFULLY IT'S DIFFERENT, UH, A LI--
A BIT DIFFERENT TODAY, BUT JUST THAT IDEA
OF FINDING A MENTOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, JAMES WAS ABLE TO LEARN FROM PEOPLE
LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CLYDE FOSTER.
YOU KNOW, CLYDE FOSTER WAS SOMEBODY AT MARSHALL
WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR MANY PEOPLE
AND-AND-AND OPENED DOORS FOR, YOU KNOW,
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT JAMES ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW,
UH, UH, YOU KNOW,
CLYDE WOULD PULL HIM BEHIND THE SCENES AND SAY,
YOU KNOW, "LISTEN, YOUNG MAN.
I GOTTA T-- I GOTTA TELL YOU SOMETHIN' HERE."
AND-AND TO BE ABLE TO BE A-- TO TR--
YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TRUST, THAT IS.
SO, I THINK JAMES, BUT CLYDE FOSTER ALSO.
THIS, YOU KNOW, WHERE DID THIS--
WHERE DOES THIS MENTORSHIP TOUCH
AND WHERE DOES IT NOT TOUCH, YOU KNOW?
I-IN THE 1960, IT TOUCHED EVERYTHING.
IT TOUCHED SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
YOU KNOW, JUST THIS IDEA THAT--
YOU KNOW, HE'S-HE'S IN AN ALL-WHITE ENVIRONMENT,
SO, YOU KNOW, IS JAMES AS AN INTERN
GONNA GET INVITED TO-TO TALK TO THE PLACES
AND-AND ENTER THE SPACES WHERE
YOU WOULD MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS
THAT WOULD ADVANCE YOU FORWARD.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, UH,
CLYDE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TELLING HIM OVER THE YEARS
AND EVEN AFTER HE CAME BACK IN THE EARLY '70s
HAS THAT BEEN-- YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
RICHARD HALL AND DELANO HYDER,
UH, YOU KNOW, AND-AND THESE FOLKS
WHO-WHO BUILT A NETWORK AT A TIME AT MARSHALL,
I MEAN, LET'S NOT FORGET IT,
THIS ISN'T THE STORY OF PILGRIM'S PROGRESS HERE.
THINGS DIDN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY GET BETTER,
UH, YOU KNOW. THAT-- AND THAT'S
PART OF THAT DIFFICULT CONVERSATION TO HAVE, RIGHT?
- THAT'S RIGHT. - UH, YOU KNOW,
IN-IN-- WHEN CH-- WHEN GERARD--
WHEN, UH, JAMES COMES ON SITE HERE IN 19, YOU KNOW, 67,
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A-A-A S-- A-A-A LARGE NUMBER
OF WHAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IS DIVERSITY, RIGHT?
WITHOUT INCLUSION, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT THERE'S-THERE'S SOME DIVERSITY.
BUT BY THE TIME YOU GET TO 1973,
THERE ARE ONLY 86 AFRICAN AMERICANS
EMPLOYED AT THE ENTIRE CENTER.
YOU KNOW, AND POST-APOLLO.
I MEAN, SO, SO, THIS IS KINDA FEW AND FAR BETWEEN,
BUT, UH-- BUT JUST-- SO, I THINK THAT'S A--
THAT'S A CRITICAL PIECE OF IT,
BUT WE CAN-- YOU KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY, THE-- THESE-- THE-THE--
UH, FROM AN IDENTITY STANDPOINT
AND THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH
AND-AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SHARED WITH US
IS JUST-- IT'S INC-- IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
AND-AND AS A-- AS A WHITE HISTORIAN
ENTERING THAT WORLD, RIGHT? IF SOMEBODY IS, YOU KNOW--
W-- YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THIS
AND WHAT CAN I SHARE WITH IT, YOU KNOW?
BUT IT-IT'S-IT'S INTERESTING TO KNOW
WHAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED.
AT-- YOU KNOW, IN THAT CONTEXT.
AND THAT'S WHY THE MENTORSHIP ACROSS,
YOU KNOW, A-A-A-- YOU KNOW, A-A-A--
ACROSS RACE, ACROSS SEX,
ACROSS, YOU KNOW, WHAT-- IT IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT
LOUCIOUS AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF,
AND THAT'S WHAT LOUCIOUS TALKS AT THE BEGINNING, RIGHT?
THIS-THIS THE-- THIS, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH PANEL
ISN'T-- YOU KNOW, I-IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR,
YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, "LET'S JUST--
LET'S-LET'S HAVE A CLOSED SESSION HERE."
THIS IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INVITING, UH, PEOPLE
TO HAVE THESE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
AND OPEN THOSE SPACES THAT JAMES JENNINGS
HAD SUCH A TOUGH-- A TOUGH TIME IN 1967.
SO, I COULD RUN ON AND ON ABOUT THAT,
BUT I THINK THAT-- THAT'S-THAT'S GOOD.
- WELL, I-I THANK YOU.
AND, UH-- AND-AND EVEN AS A-A-A-- AS A-- AS A--
AS A WHITE MAN DOIN' THE RESEARCH,
UH, AND HAVIN', UH, A PASSION
AND A DESIRE TO LEARN THOSE THINGS,
UH, TELL YOU WHERE WE CAN GO,
WH-WHAT WE CAN BE, AND, UH,
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU
FOR YOUR HEART AND-AND-AND DOIN' THAT
AND I APPRECIATE YOU. APPRECIATE YOU.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FOR EVERYONE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, SO, LET'S SAY, LIKE,
THREE TO FOUR MINUTES, 'CAUSE THERE'S FOUR OF US.
SO, IT GOES-- AND-AND-AND BY FOUR--
BY FOUR MINUTES, UH, WITH THIS QUESTION
AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO GET TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND THIS IS A BROAD QUESTION,
BUT TELL ME, WHAT DOES DIVERSITY MEAN TO YOU?
NOW, WE KNOW WE HAVE NASA'S DEFINITION.
WE HAVE LOUCIOUS THAT-THAT-THAT SAY
"DOC, WE GOTTA GET A DEFINITION.
THIS IS OUR DEFINITION."
AND-AND WE UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION.
BUT WHAT DOES DIVERSITY MEAN TO YOU
AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
AND, UH, MR. BROWN, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
- SO, UH, DIVERSITY IS TRICKY.
IT'S ALSO SOMETHIN' I TALK ABOUT
WITH MY FRIENDS AND OTHER CONTACTS A LOT.
LIKE, WE TALK ABOUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF CHURCH A LOT.
AND, UM, THE THING THAT I ALWAYS GET TO
IS THAT THERE'S THIS SUPERFICIAL DIVERSITY
AND THERE'S, LIKE, SOME REAL DIVERSITY, YOU KNOW?
AND I USE THE ANALOGY OF FROOT LOOPS VERSUS SALSA.
YOU KNOW?
YOU EVER HAVE FROOT LOOPS,
BUNCH OF DIFFERENT COLORS IN THERE,
BUT IT ALL TASTES THAT SAME.
THAT IS THIS KINDA SUPERFICIAL DIVERSITY.
AND I GUESS IT, UH-- IT-IT, UH, YOU KNOW--
IT TRANSLATES TO THE WORKPLACE
AND YOU HIRE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPE OF PEOPLE
FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE,
BUT YOU HAVE A-A CULTURE THAT'S SO RIGID
THAT YOU JUST EXPECT THEM
TO COME INTO YOUR CULTURE AND BE JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
THERE'S NO FREE EXPECT-- EXPRESSION.
PEOPLE DON'T-DON'T, YOU KNOW--
THERE USED TO BE A TIME WHERE
THE BIGGEST AMOUNT OF REBELLION YOU WOULD HAVE
IN WHAT YOU WEAR TO WORK WAS WEARING
COLORFUL BRIGHT SOCKS, RIGHT?
AND THOSE WERE HIDDEN UNDER THE TABLE.
UM, AND-- VERSUS A DIVERSITY
THAT'S MORE LIKE SALSA, YOU KNOW?
YOU GOT YOUR TOMATOES, YOUR PEPPERS, YOUR ONIONS,
AND YOUR CILANTRO.
AND IF YOU PUT CILANTRO IN SALSA,
YOU'RE GONNA TASTE IT, YOU KNOW?
IT DOESN'T HIDE.
AND THAT'S A DIVERSITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME IN
AND THEY CAN BE THEMSELVES
AND THEY CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE SPACE.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM,
UM, I DON'T WANT TO GO ALL SHOP,
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT CODE SWITCHING
AND-AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF
WHERE PEOPLE TALK DIFFERENTLY AT HOME
THAN THEY DO IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S--
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE
THAT DON'T REALLY DO THAT ALL SO WELL,
BUT THEY'RE SUPER BRIGHT PEOPLE
AND THEY MAY NOT GET THE OPPORTUNITIES
BECAUSE A, THEY TALK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
OR THEY DRESS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND TO ME, THAT'S NOT REAL DIVERSITY.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
A JUDGMENT-FREE ENVIRONMENT
WHERE YOU'RE REALLY JUST JUDGING PEOPLE ON
THEIR MERITS AND HOW WELL THEY DO THEIR WORK.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THAT,
THAT'LL BE A TRUE DIVERSE SPACE.
- THAT'S GOOD.
ABSOLUTELY. I-I-I AGREE.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT ANALOGY OF-OF-OF THAT,
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE WHOLE KEY,
IS JUDGIN' A PERSON BASED ON WHAT THEY CAN DO,
UH, AND NOT ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, B-- M-- DR. MOSBY,
UH, CHAT ME ON THIS ONE.
- YEAH, SO, UM,
JUST KINDA PIGGYBACKIN' ON WHAT-WHAT ARTHUR HAD MENTIONED.
YOU KNOW, THE DIVERSITY IS SOMETHIN'
THAT YOU HAVE TO BE DELIBERATE ABOUT.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SALSA ANALOGY.
YOU'RE DELIBERATE ABOUT PICKING THE TOMATOES
AND PUTTING THEM IN THE BLENDER
AND GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SALS--
THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CILANTRO,
THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ONIONS.
AND SO, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
ESPECIALLY IN MY INDUSTRY,
UH, AN-AN-AND IN MY DIVISION,
WE TRY TO BE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT,
UM, THE WAY WE RECRUIT,
WHERE WE RECRUIT FROM.
UM, THE PROJECTS THAT WE ASSIGN INDIVIDUALS
TO TRY TO-TO-TO EXPAND THEIR BOUNDARIES
AND DEVELOP THEM INTO, UM, LEADERS
A-AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONAL EXPERTS.
UM, BUT TO ME, DIVERSITY, UM,
IS REALLY ABOUT CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE.
YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT
YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS
THAT HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THINGS
AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS,
DIFFERENT WAYS OF SOLVING PROBLEMS,
DIFFERENT WAYS OF THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
TO BRING FORWARD SOLUTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR ENVIRONMENT SPACE
IS VERY DYNAMIC.
UM, AND WE HAVE NEW CHALLENGES
THAT POP UP EVERY DAY,
NEW ISSUES THAT POP UP DAILY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW,
IF WE ARE TO SERVICE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY--
UM, WE HAVE PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATORS
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WHY WOULD OUR WORKFORCE NOT LOOK LIKE THOSE CUSTOMERS
AND THOSE CLIENTS THAT WE'RE SERVICING?
AND SO, WE'RE TRYIN' TO BE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM,
I-I TOO KNOW JAMES JENNINGS.
UH, HE-HE'S MY FRAT BROTHER
AND-AND I REMEMBER
BEFORE I GOT MY FIRST JOB AT NASA,
I MET JAMES IN A HOTEL IN BIRMINGHAM
IN THE LOBBY, UM,
AT A FRATERNITY FUNCTION
AND HE HANDED ME HIS BUSINESS CARD
AND I SAW IT AND-AND I SAID, "OH, MY GOODNESS.
THIS GUY'S A DIRECTOR AT NASA."
AND, UM, IT-IT--
AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US GATHERED AROUND
AND-AND JAMES WAS TELLIN' US, YOU KNOW, THE STORIES.
AND-AND HE SAID "THIS IS-- THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON."
AND-AND SO, AGAIN, BEING DELIBERATE.
YOU-YOU'RE OUT THERE,
YOU'RE-YOU'RE BEING A ROLE MODEL.
YOU'RE BEING A RECRUITER.
YOU'RE BEIN' AN AMBASSADOR.
YOU ARE TRYING TO BRING
THOSE INGREDIENTS FORWARD
SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THIS GOOD SALSA.
- SIRI, TURN ON MY MICROPHONE.
- THAT-THAT-THAT'S-- THIS IS GOING WELL.
I DO WANNA, UH, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, UH,
DROP SOME COMMENTS IN-IN THE-- IN THE--
IN THE CHAT B-- UH, BOX.
AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, MR. BROWN GOT--
- SIRI, TURN ON MY iPHONE.
- I THINK THIS IS GOING REALLY, REALLY WELL.
IF EVERYBODY MIND MUTING-MUTING THEIR, UM, CAMERA, UH--
- DR. WATKINS, YOU'RE MUTED.
- I'M SORRY.
UM, DOCTOR--
UM, I WAS MUTED THE WHOLE TIME, WOW.
OKAY, THIS IS GOING WELL.
UH, THANK Y'ALL.
LISTEN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH,
WE GOT SOME GREAT PEOPLE, UH, ON-ON-ON WITH US.
WON'T YOU DROP SOME COMMENTS IN THE CHAT BOX?
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
UH, AND THIS-THIS IS GOOD.
GREAT COMMENTS, UM, FROM YOU,
DOC-- UH, DR. MOSBY.
WE'RE ON THIS THING ABOUT, UH, SAUCES AND CILANTRO.
UM, AND I-- AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT ANALOGY.
AND MATTER OF FACT, UH, DR. BROWN,
I NEVER HEARD THAT ANALOGY UNTIL-UNTIL TODAY.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD.
UH, DR. ODOM, WON'T YOU, UH, J--
UH, JUMP IN AND, UH-- ON THIS?
- SURE.
I-I THINK, YOU KNOW, LOOKIN' BACK, OBVIOUSLY,
IT'S-IT'S A BIT, YOU KNOW, IT'S--
YOU THINK IT WOULD BE A BIT DIFFERENT,
BUT OBVIOUSLY, IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME.
SO, WHAT DID DIVERSITY MEAN IN THE 1960s,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TODAY?
UH, I THINK IN THE 1960s,
DIVERSITY HAD A LOT MORE TO DO WITH, UH,
YOU KNOW, UH, GETTING WHERE YOU NEEDED TO BE,
LEGALLY COMPLIANT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTRACTS
IN THE CONTRACTING WORLD.
AND SO, HOW DO WE PRODUCE THE RIGHT NUMBERS,
AND THAT SORT OF THING,
WHICH I THINK IS A-A SHAM OF, YOU KNOW,
WHAT DIVERSITY REALLY MEANS,
'CAUSE I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WHAT,
UH, DR. MOSBY WAS SAYIN' ABOUT CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, RIGHT?
AND HOW YOU'RE TRYIN' TO SOLVE NEW PROBLEMS
AND NEW CHALLENGES.
AND THAT'S WHAT NASA'S TRYIN' TO DO.
THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND YOU CAN'T LOOK TO ONE SEGMENT OF A POPULATION
TO TELL YOU WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT'S GONNA BE, RIGHT?
UH, BUT-- YOU KNOW, SO, SO, THAT'S NOT DIVERSITY,
YOU KNOW, DIVER-- THAT'S WHAT DIVERSITY IS
AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE '60s WAS NOT.
I THINK-- BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS SO IMPORTANT
IS THE INCLUSION PART OF IT AS WELL,
AND WE-- WE'LL GET TO THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY WITHOUT INCLUSION
IS-IS THE SAME THING AS IT WAS IN THE '60s, RIGHT?
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW,
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE HERE?
WHAT-- ONE OF THE--
ONE OF THE LESSONS YOU CAN TAKE AWAY FROM--
YOU KNOW, THE MOVIE "HIDDEN FIGURES" I THINK IS
INSTRUCTIVE FOR A DIFFERENT REASON THAN MOST PEOPLE SEE.
YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW,
THERE WERE AFRICAN AMERICANS WORKIN' AT LANGLEY,
BUT THEY WERE ALL COLLECTED INTO
ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, RIGHT?
AND KATHERINE JOHNSON JUST HAPPEN TO, YOU KNOW, UH,
WORK HER WAY HARDER THAN ANYBODY ELSE HAD TO
TO GET OUT OF THAT-- THAT-- OR-OR, TO MAIN--
TO-TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
UH, YOU KNOW, AT-AT MARSHALL,
IT WAS A COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY.
YOU KNOW, JAMES JENNINGS,
EVERYBODY WORKED IN THE COMP LAB,
UH, IN A-- IN A SIMILAR FASHION, RIGHT?
SO, IT WAS-- IT WASN'T DIVERSITY.
THERE WERE-- THERE WERE CERTAIN NUMBERS IN ONE PLACE,
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE TO TODAY
AND THE-- AND THE STRIDES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN
AND THE FIGHTS THAT'RE THERE.
I MEAN, I-- WE TALK ABOUT JAMES
AND HOW IMPORTANT HE IS IN-IN TELLING, YOU KNOW,
TELLING DR. MOSBY ABOUT THE LESSONS
THAT HE TOOK AWAY FROM CLYDE FOSTER.
SO, THERE'S THIS GENERATIONAL MENTORSHIP
THAT'S HAPPENING IN THERE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW,
THAT WE COULD SAY THE SAME THING, THOUGH,
ABOUT ELAINE FLOWERS DUNCAN,
YOU KNOW, SHEILA NASH-STEVENSON,
RUTH JONES, BOBBY WATKINS,
YOU KNOW, UH, A-A-ALL OF THESE FOLKS, YOU KNOW,
THAT-THAT THEY'RE THERE TODAY
AND-AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR-FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, FOR-FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE
NOT ONLY A SEAT AT THE TABLE,
BUT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ONCE THEY GET THERE,
WHICH I THINK IS-IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT,
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON EVERYBODY
TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S MAINTAINED.
YOU KNOW, LET'S GO BACK TO THE OTHER--
THE OTHER THING TO GO BACK TO WHAT, UH, UH, ARTHUR WAS SAYING.
YOU KNOW, I-IF YOU HAVE DIVERSITY
AND IT'S JUST ABOUT CONFORM--
THEN IT'S JUST ABOUT CONFORMITY, RIGHT?
YOU SAY, "OKAY, EVERYBODY NOW BE THIS."
YOU KNOW? AND THAT'S--
IS THAT SOLVING THE-- THOSE COMPLEX PROBLEMS?
NO, NOT AT ALL.
- YEAH.
AND THAT-- AND THAT-- AND THAT'S TRUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN PEOPLE--
TO ME, WHEN PEOPLE DOUBT DIVERSITY
AND I-IS IT IMPORTANT, THEN, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE TALKING NUMBERS.
THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
UH, RESEARCH SAYS, AND MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW THIS,
THAT WHEN COMPANIES ARE MORE DIVERSE--
AND NOT JUST ETHNICALLY,
FROM AN ETHNIC POINT OF VIEW AND RACE POINT OF VIEW--
BUT WHEN IT'S DIVERSE FROM ALL POINTS OF VIEW,
PRODUCTIVITY IS HIGHER.
I MEAN, IT IS NO DOUBT
THAT A-A COMPANY THAT HAS-- UNDERSTAND DIVERSITY
AND EMBRACE IT, UH, IS A BETTER COMPANY.
UH, BUT, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AND WE--
LET'S HEAR THE WORDS OF WISDOM FROM, UM,
MRS. GORDON ON THIS TOPIC.
WHAT-WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
- SO, SO, WHEN I THINK ABOUT DIVERSITY,
I THINK ABOUT A CULTURE OF "AND" RATHER THAN "OR."
I THINK, UM, AS A CULTURE AND A SOCIETY,
WE HAVE REALLY MADE EVERYTHING ABOUT "CHOOSE A SIDE."
YOU'RE EITHER THIS SIDE OR THAT SIDE
WHEN THERE'S REALLY, UH--
THERE'S ROOM ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE AND ALL INPUT
AND, UM, SO, I THINK IF, YOU KNOW,
IMPROVING DIVERSITY HELPS US GET TO A POSITION
WHERE WE CAN PUT "AND" IN THE SCENARIO
MORE SO THAN "OR."
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WE REMOVE, UM, DEFENSIVENESS
AND THE NEED FOR CONFRONTATION
AND-AND WE BRING IN, UH,
MORE OF A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, INCLUSIVENESS,
WHICH IS WHAT, YOU KNOW,
THE-THE POINT OF BEIN' DIVERSE IS
IS TO INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE POINTS OF VIEWS.
SO, UM, IF WE COULD GET TO A CULTURE OF "AND,"
I THINK THAT'S A-A-- A HUGE STEP FOR US.
- WOW, RHEGA, THAT IS POWERFUL.
UM, AND I THINK I'M GONNA DEVELOP A TEACHIN'
AND I'MMA CALL IT "AND/OR."
[laughs] YOU KNOW?
UH, JUST BECAUSE-- I-I MEAN, "AND, AND NOT OR."
BECAUSE I THINK WE DO "AND" AND NOT "OR"
JUST IS-- THE DEFENSE IS DOWN,
IT'S NOT ABOUT REPLACIN' ANYONE,
IT'S NOT ABOUT TAKIN' ANYTHING FROM ANYONE,
IT'S ABOUT ADDING TO
THE FLAVOR OF THE CONVERSATION,
THE FLAVOR O-OF-OF THE DAY,
AND THAT IS AN AWESOME, AWESOME, UM, TAKE ON THAT.
OKAY, LET'S-LET'S-- LET'S MOVE ON.
UM, INCLUSION IS NASA'S
FIFTH NEW CORE VALUE.
HOW ARE YOU AS A LEADER
FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT
IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?
YOU, AS A LEADER.
YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU, UH,
FOSTERIN' THAT INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT
IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?
AND, UM, LET'S-LET'S-LET'S START WITH DR. MOSBY.
YOU'RE MUTED, DOCTOR. - OKAY, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
UM...
YEAH, I GUESS YOU'D GIVE ME THE HARDEST QUESTION, HUH?
- I DID-- WELL, YOU KNOW...
- YEAH, SO-SO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM,
IT-IT'S ONE THING TO--
TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE,
BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING
TO BE ASKED TO SHARE YOUR OPINION.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO BE ASKED TO LEAD A-A PROJECT.
AND SO, UM, AS A LEADER,
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I DO
ALONG WITH, UM, YOU KNOW,
THE OTHER SENIOR LEADERS IN OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
IS, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT
ASSIGNING PROJECTS AND GROOMING PERSONNEL
AND ASSIGNING TRAINING
AND GIVIN' PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY,
UM, TO TAKE THESE SMALL MANAGEMENT ROLES
OR THESE LEADERSHIP ROLES.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE IS
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED DETAILS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION
TO ALLOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
TO SHADOW OR SPEND TIME WITH THESE OTHER LEADERS
IN THESE OTHER AREAS
SO THAT THEY CAN GET SOME EXPOSURE.
UM, TO ME, UM, THE-THE INCLUSION,
TO ME, IS ABOUT-- IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, UM, BRINGING DIFFERENT-DIFFERENT PEOPLE
AND-AND-AND CULTURES TOGETHER,
BUT IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM,
HAVING THEM PARTICIPATE.
AND WHEN I MEAN PARTICIPATE,
I MEAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE MISSION.
AND WHEN I SAY CONTRIBUTE, I MEAN THIS IS YOUR PIECE,
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE,
WE ARE EXPECTING YOU TO LEAD IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UM,
PART OF THE-- PART OF THE DIVERSITY IS--
IS THE RECRUITING AND, YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE-- ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID,
UM, WHEN I MOVED INTO A MANAGEMENT ROLE,
UH, AT MARSHALL WAS
I HELPED BRING IN THE LARGEST MOST DIVERSE CLASS
OF PAYLOAD OPERATIONS DIRECTORS.
UM, AND WE-- AGAIN,
WE WERE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND-AND, UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS,
NOW THAT THEY'RE ON THEIR PATH TO CERTIFYING,
WE'RE DELIBERATE ABOUT ASSIGNING THEM ROLES.
WE'RE DELIBERATE ABOUT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
WE'RE DELIBERATE ABOUT SETTING PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.
UM, THOSE THINGS, TO ME, ARE IMPORTANT
TO HELP ENFORCE THE INCLUSIVE PART.
UM, AND THEN, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I DO,
WHICH, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT SEEM BIG,
BUT WHEN WE'RE IN MEETINGS
AND WE HAVE CONTROL BOARDS
AND WE HAVE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS,
I ALWAYS ASK FOR THIS PERSON'S OPINION
OR I WILL SAY,
"HEY, DO WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM THIS GROUP?
I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS."
UM, YOU KNOW?
AND SO, THAT IS ANOTHER WAY OF, AGAIN,
OF TRYING TO INVOLVE INDIVIDUALS
AND-AND HELP THEM COME TO THE FOREFRONT,
MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH SHARING THEIR-THEIR WORDS,
THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR THOUGHTS, THEIR ACTIONS.
UM, A-AND SO, THAT-- THOSE ARE ONE OF THE PRACTICE--
THAT'S ONE OF THE PRACTICES THAT I-I TRY TO-TO IN-INFLUENCE
AND PUT IN PLACE, BECAUSE AS A LEADER,
YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE
AND BE THAT BEHAVIOR THAT YOU WANT MODELED.
- RIGHT. - YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT.
- THAT'S AWESOME. GREAT.
AND THAT-THAT IS-- THAT IS SO TRUE.
AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE--
AND I TELL PEOPLE, IT MUST BE ON PURPOSE.
IT MUST BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOIN' ON PURPOSE.
IT'S NOT JUST GONNA ORGANICALLY HAPPEN.
IT HAS TO BE ON PURPOSE.
UH, THAT'S GOOD.
MISS GORDON, WOULD YOU, UH, UH,
COME IN ON THIS QUESTION?
- YEAH.
SO, UM, TOTALLY AGREE THAT, UM,
ONE-- THE MAIN THING WE HAVE TO START WITH
IS MODELING IT, LIVING IT,
UM, FROM THE TOP.
BUT, UM, ON-ONCE WE HAVE THAT INCORPORATED,
UM, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO EMPOWER THE EMPLOYEES.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE
IN OUR ORGANIZATION, WE, UM,
FORMED AN EMPLOYEE FOCUS, UH, TEAM
THAT IS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
AND IT'S EMPLOYEE-RUN, IT'S EMPLOYEE-LEAD,
AND, UH, THEY-THEY MEET AND IT'S A V--
IT'S VOLUNTEERS WHO-- FROM OUR ORGANIZATION
WHO COME TOGETHER AND THEY MEET TOGETHER
AND COME UP WITH WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE
THAT WE KEEP DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN FRONT OF US.
UM, MUCH LIKE WE DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND--
WITH SAFETY,
WE MADE SURE THAT SAFETY WAS A PART OF
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT WE DID.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT-IT-IT'S JUST--
IT'S A NATURAL TO US NOW,
THAT WE ALWAYS ARE THINKIN' ABOUT SAFETY.
AND, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO INFUSE
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INTO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO,
UM, AS WELL. WE-- FROM THE HIRING
TO THE AWARDS TO THE PROMOTIONS
TO OPPORTUNITIES TO DO DETAILS
TO SHADOWING.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UM,
WE JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW,
MAKE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INFUSED INTO THAT.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO, YOU KNOW,
LET THE EMPLOYEES BE INVOLVED
BECAUSE THEY ARE ON THE GROUND,
UM, EXECUTING EVERYDAY
AND THEY SEE, UH, DIFFERENT AREAS
WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BE MORE INTENTIONAL
AND MAKE IT HAPPEN, SO.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OUR ORGANIZATION.
- THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GREAT.
UM, MR. BROWN, DO YOU HAVE A-A COMMENT ON THIS ONE?
- UH, JUST A QUICK ONE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SECRET SAUCE TO, UH, INCLUSION,
BUT I WILL SAY THAT I STARTED OFF IN LEADERSHIP
WORKIN' IN THE CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE
AND THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THAT ROLE
WAS MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAD A SPACE
AND FELT SAFE TO SAY, UH,
THE THINGS THAT WERE ON THEIR MINDS.
IT'S-IT'S-- UH, PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HEARD.
AND-AND WHEN WE DON'T LISTEN TO EVERYONE
AND HEAR THEIR OPINIONS,
OR EVEN IF THEY'RE SHY, I CALL ON 'EM
AND-AND TEASE IT OUT OF THEM,
BUT YOU CAN MISS SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, IF YOU, UH, WORK EVERYDAY
ON TRYIN' TO ESTABLISH A-A CULTURE
WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE TO SPEAK OUT
WHEN THEY SEE A PROBLEM OR HAVE A PROBLEM,
THEN, UH, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ANY JUDGMENT,
THEN, UM, THEN I THINK YOU-YOU'RE MOVIN' IT--
MOVIN' THE MARK MORE TOWARDS, UH,
A MORE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT.
- THAT'S GOOD.
I-I-I-I STRONGLY FEEL WE MUST PROVIDE, UH,
AN ENVIRONMENT, A CULTURE OF, UH--
THERE-THERE'S A-- THERE'S A SAFE SPACE,
UH, IN ORDER TO GROW.
'CAUSE I-I BELIEVE THAT, UH, INCLUSION,
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, EQUITY IS SOMETHIN'
THAT WE-WE ARE GROWING IN.
WE-- AND WE MUST KEEP GROWING.
AND WE CAN'T GROW WITHOUT BEIN', UH, BEIN' SAFE,
FEELIN' SAFE TO-TO GROW.
I-I WANNA, UH, UH, KINDA PIVOT HERE.
ANOTHER QUESTION I WANNA ACTUALLY ASK DR. ODOM, UH,
IF YOU DON'T MIND, DISCUSS HOW STEM ENGAGEMENT
WORKED WITH ALABAMA A&M DURIN' THE APOLLO ERA.
DISCUSS, UH, THE ROLE OF ALABAMA A&M PRESIDENT
DR. RICHARD MORRISON IN DEVELOPING A STEM CURRICULUM
IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE SPACE PROGRAM.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT?
- OH, MAN, I COULD COMMENT ON THAT ONE FOR ALL DAY.
HOW MUCH TIME WE GOT?
[laughter]
- [INDISTINCT].
- I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT-WHAT, UH--
WHAT DR. MORRISON WAS FACIN' IN 1963
WHEN HE BECAME PRESIDENT AT ALABAMA A&M WAS EXTENSIVE.
YOU KNOW, WE FORGET ABOUT THAT CONTEXT SOMETIMES
IN THINKIN' ABOUT APOLLO,
IS THAT APOLLO DIRECTLY COINCIDED WITH
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, HERE IN HUNTSVILLE,
UH, THE-THE SIT-IN MOVEMENT BEGAN
IN DOWNTOWN HUNTSVILLE IN JANUARY 1962
AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE SUMMER, UH, THAT YEAR
AND, YOU KNOW, MORRISON COMES IN
IN MARCH OF '63
INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT AND HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, UH,
I GOT A-- I GOT AN ISSUE HERE.
THE SPACE PROGRAM OFFERS A LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITY
FOR FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT I CAN DO."
UH, ALABAMA A&M TODAY IS NOT-- DOESN'T HAVE--
OR A-AT THAT TIME, HE SAYS, DOESN'T HAVE A CURRICULUM
THAT IS GOING TO PRODUCE SOMEONE WHO CAN ATTAIN THAT JOB.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO DO THAT
AND WHAT LINES DO I HAVE TO WALK
IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN?"
BECAUSE, ULTIMATELY, MORRISON KNEW THAT
HE HAD TO GO TO MONTGOMERY TO GET FUNDING IN 1963.
AND WE ALL R--
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH HISTORY,
UH, YOU KNOW, MORRISON GOIN' TO MONTGOMERY IN '63,
HE WAS GONNA ENCOUNTER GEORGE WALLACE
AS THE GOVERNOR THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO, HE HAS TO HAVE A CERTAIN--
HE HAS TO HAVE A CERTAIN STANCE ON THE SOCIAL ISSUES
THAT HE FACES IN ORDER TO DO THE THINGS THAT HE--
THAT HE F--
HE KNOW HE NEEDS TO DO TO PREPARE HIS STUDENTS.
SO, HE DEVELOPS, UH, HIGHER MATH CURRICULUMS.
YOU KNOW, HE DEVELOPS A PHYSICS PROGRAM.
HE INVITES HOWARD FOSTER TO COME
AND HOWARD FOSTER BECOMES THE, YOU KNOW,
BASICALLY INITIATES A PHYSICS PROGRAM AT, UH--
AT ALABAMA A&M. UH, JA--
YOU KNOW, UH, JENNINGS WAS GONNA BE THE F--
ONE OF THE FIRST STUDENTS TO GO THROUGH THAT
WITH A PHYSICS MINOR, WHICH IS WHAT PREPARES HIM
TO COME HERE TO MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
AS A STUDENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SHIELA NASH-STEVENSON
ULTIMATELY WILL BE A, YOU KNOW--
WILL BE SOMEONE WHO WILL GO THROUGH THAT PROGRAM
AND GET A Ph.D. IN PHYSICS FROM THERE.
SO, THAT'S-THAT'S WHAT MORRISON SAID
AND SET THE TRAJECTORY ON, RIGHT?
BUT HE KNOWS HE'S, YOU KNOW--
HE'S-HE HAS LIMITED FUNDING, UH, BECAUSE OF SEGREGATION.
BECAUSE OF JIM CROW, ALABAMA A&M HAD BEEN
GETTING, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN A WHOLE DOLLAR
FOR EVERY TEN THAT THE, UH, WHITE INSTITUTIONS GOT.
SO, HE HAS SO MUCH CATCHING UP TO DO,
BUT IT'S-IT'S TO MORRISON'S CREDIT THAT HE SAYS,
YOU KNOW, "THE SPACE PROGRAM IS NEW TO EVERYBODY
AND THAT IS-- THAT SHOULD BE A-- AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE"
AND HE FIGHTS TO GET THAT DONE.
AND HE DOES THE THINGS THAT HE--
AND HE TAKES A GREAT RISK TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW?
BECAUSE HE'S-- HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, "I'VE GOT TO ALSO,
YOU KNOW, CONVINCE THE STUDENTS THAT
IT'S WORTH TAKIN' THE RISK,
AND IF THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR 'EM,
THE STUDENTS AREN'T GONNA BITE ON THIS.
WHO'S GONNA GO GET A PHYSICS DEGREE IN, UH--
YOU KNOW, IN-IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
TO GO WORK FOR, YOU KNOW-- TO--
WITH JUST A PROMISE OF A JOB."
SO, HE WORKS WITH MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
AND DEMANDS THAT.
SO, I THINK THE TAKEAWAY FROM THAT THOUGH,
FOR US AT-AT-AT-AT NASA TODAY
IS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE DEALIN' WITH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT JUST FOR HBCUs,
THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD, RIGHT?
WHAT ARE PEOPLE HAVIN' TO SACRIFICE
AND-AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY'RE TRYIN' TO CREATE,
YOU KNOW, FOR THAT--
TO-TO GIVE YOU THE CANDIDATES
FOR THE JOB OPENINGS WHEN YOU PUT 'EM OUT.
YOU GOTTA GO FIND 'EM.
YOU'VE GOTTA GO TALK TO 'EM.
YOU'VE GOT TO WORK WITH THEM
AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE
AND TH-- AND, YOU KNOW, YOU--
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE FOLKS LIKE MORRISON
WHO WERE FIGHTING BEHIND THE SCENES TO DO--
TO SCRATCH AND CLAW FOR EVERYTHING THEY HAD
TO-TO GET YOU THAT CANDIDATE.
WE'VE GOTTA GO FIND 'EM AND WE'VE GOT TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, A-AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID,
I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOREVER.
BUT YOU KNOW, UH,
YOU MAY KNOW THE STORY OF CHARLES SMOOT.
SMOOT WAS BROUGHT IN IN 1963
TO BE WHAT THEY REFERRED TO AS A "NEGRO RECRUITER," RIGHT?
SO, HIS JOB WAS TO GO OUT AND FIND CANDIDATES.
AND IN '63, HE GOES TO ARKANSAS TO CONVINCE,
YOU KNOW, ERNEST SMITH.
ERNEST SMITH, WHO WILL BE THE FIRST EVER
AFRICAN AMERICAN LAB DIRECTOR AT MARSHALL.
HE'S GOTTA GO TO--
HE'S GOTTA GO TO ARKANSAS, CONVINCE SMITH--
UH, CONVINCE SMITH TO MOVE TO HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
IN THE MIDST OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
FOR LESS MONEY THAN HE COULD MAKE GOIN' TO, YOU KNOW--
SO, YOU KNOW, HE-HE SAYS, YOU KNOW,
HE IS GOIN' TO SMITH AND HE SAYS, "HEY, MAN.
YOU'RE-YOU'RE IN THIS PROGRAM HERE.
WE'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO COME TO HUNTSVILLE FOR A JOB,"
AND HE'S LIKE-- YOU KNOW,
"HUNTSVILLE'S DIFFERENT."
AND-AND SMITH'S LIKE, "WELL, HOW DIFFERENT IS IT, RIGHT?
I MEAN--" SO, ANYWAY.
SO, I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THESE,
BUT-BUT THAT STEM ENGAGEMENT
AND THAT FINDIN' PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE,
IT'S A CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS.
- YOU KNOW, UH, TH-THIS IS-- THIS IS-THIS IS AWESOME.
YOU-YOU GUYS ARE INCREDIBLE, ACTUALLY,
EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I'M NOT JUST SAYIN' THAT, I DO THIS STUFF A LOT.
AND TO HEAR--
THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT EVEN THE MORE.
AND EVEN AMONGST, UH, US STEM PEOPLE,
UM, I-I TOLD PEOPLE I'M AN ENGINEER IN MY PAST LIFE.
BUT, UH, A-A-AND-AND IT'S-- AND IT'S INCREDIBLE.
AND-AND-AND IT TOOKS-- IT-IT-IT TAKES GRIT.
IT TAKES US, UH, ON--
UH, BEIN' ABLE TO SACRIFICE
AND GO THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS THAT ONE MUST GO THROUGH.
AND SO, WE THANK, OF COURSE, UH, DR. MORRISON
AND-AND-AND YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE
WHO WENT BEFORE US.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS-IS PIGGYBACKING
ON WHAT DR. ODOM, YOU JUST SAID.
UH, AND I'MMA START THIS, UH, QUESTION WITH RHE-RHEGA.
UH, AND IT SAYS, "DID YOUR EXPER-- DID-DID YOU--"
EXCUSE ME, "EXPERIENCE ANY HARDSHIPS
DURING YOUR ASCENSION TO YOUR CURRENT POSITION
BASED ON ANY BIASES?
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO THOSE
WHO DO EXPERIENCE THIS?"
- YEAH, SO, UH, I CAME TO, UM-- I CAME TO NASA IN 1991.
SO, UM...
I-I WOULD LIKE TO SAY "A DIFFERENT TIME,"
BUT, UM, IT-IT FEELS LIKE, UM, WE-WE JUST KEEP CIRCLIN'
THROUGH THE-THE SAME TIMES OVER AGAIN.
BUT, UM, I HAD A LOT OF GREAT, UH, MENTORS,
LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE.
I HAD A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE AROUND ME.
SO, WHILE THINGS WEREN'T ALWAYS EASY, I--
UM, I HAD PEOPLE TO HELP LIFT ME UP
WHEN-WHEN THINGS GOT DIFFICULT.
SO, UM, YEAH.
YOU FELT LIKE YOU HAD TO WORK, UM, A LITTLE HARDER.
YOU HAD TO PROVE YOURSELF, UH, OFTEN
TO, UM, PEOPLE, UM, MORE.
BUT, UM, THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE THAT NETWORK OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU TO--
WHEN-WHEN YOU GET THOSE HARD DAYS
AND YOU HIT THOSE HARD PATCHES TO, UH,
SOMEBODY TO SAY, COME ON, WE CAN DO IT.
YEAH, KEEP PUSHING. KEEP-KEEP DOIN' IT."
UM, YOU KNOW, "KEEP IT GOIN."
SO, UH, I JUST CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH,
YOU KNOW, WHAT IT MEANS.
AND A LOT OF NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN CALLED TODAY
ARE, UM, UH, DEFINITELY PART OF MY NETWORK.
A LOT OF THE NAMES I'M SEEIN' IN THE CHAT ALSO.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT JUST MEANS--
IT MEANS A LOT TO--
FOR, LIKE I SAID, ALL THOSE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE US AND, UM, YOU KNOW,
FOR US TODAY TO-TO PULL ALONG THOSE BEHIND US.
'CAUSE IT-IT'S STILL A-A ROUGH ROAD, UM, AT TIMES.
AND YOU'RE GONNA ENCOUNTER SOME-SOME OBSTACLES
THAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOME-SOME PEOPLE
TO HELP STAND BESIDE YOU AND LIFT YOU UP
AND-AND HELP YOU OVERCOME.
- YEAH. THAT'S-THAT'S GO-- THAT'S GREAT.
MR. BROWN, I'M SURE YOU HAVEN'T HAD
ANY OF THESE HARDSHIPS,
BUT, UH, IF YOU HAVE, PLEASE COMMENT.
- UM, SO, I THINK, UM,
THERE'S A LOT OF, UM...
FEAR AND ANXIETY SOMETIMES
WHEN YOU'RE THE ONLY BLACK FACE IN THE ROOM,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE A LEADER
AND YOU'RE THE ONLY BLACK FACE IN THE ROOM.
I THINK THEY CALL THAT LIKE "IMPOSTER SYNDROME."
UM, AND I GUESS THERE ARE DEGREES TO IT, RIGHT?
UM, BUT, UM, WHENEVER I FELT ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
I ALWAYS HAD PEOPLE I COULD KINDA CALL
AND THEY COULD GIVE ME, UM, SOME ADVICE.
AND, UH, LIKE, UH, BOBBY WATKINS
IS A FRAT BROTHER.
I'VE CALLED HIM.
I CALL HIM AND TELL HIM
"HEY, MAN, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS?"
OR "HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?"
UM, PEOPLE LIKE VAN STRICKLAND OVER IN, UM, SLS.
THERE'S ANOTHER FRAT BROTHER THAT I ALWAYS CALL.
AND, UH, ESPECIALLY EARLY ON IN MY CAREER,
I'D GO SIT IN VAN'S OFFICE LIKE, "HEY, VAN, MAN,
HOW DO I DO THIS?"
UH, "I'M-I'M WORRIED. I'M NOT THERE YET.
I'M NOT READY FOR THIS. I'M NOT READY FOR THAT."
AND VAN WOULD-- VAN WOULD LOOK AT ME IN--
UH, IN THE MOST VAN STRICKLAND WAY
AND SAY, "BOY, STOP." YOU KNOW?
AND, UM, AND SNAP ME OUT OF MY OWN HEAD.
AND-AND SO, I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT, UH, I KINDA--
THAT YOU DEAL WITH THAT KINDA STUFF
IS MENTORSHIP THAT YOU CAN BE--
HAVE HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH
AND, UH, I CALL IT "RECKLESS ABANDONMENT."
LIKE, YOU HAVE TO APPROACH YOUR CAREER WITHOUT THE FEAR.
LIKE, UH, THERE'S THIS DETAIL OVER HERE
IN THE CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN SITTIN' IN MATERIALS LAB MY WHOLE--
MY WHOLE CAREER, UH,
AM I REALLY QUALIFIED FOR THAT JOB?
WHO CARES, I'M JUST GONNA GO AFTER IT ANYWAY
AND I'LL FIND OUT, YOU KNOW?
SO, UM, YEAH. RECKLESS ABANDONMENT.
- RECKLESS ABANDONMENT.
THAT-THAT'S GOOD. AND-- RIGHT.
AND WE ALL HAVE FACED HARDSHIPS, UH, I WOULD THINK,
IF YOU ARE IN ANY TYPE OF LEADERSHIP ROLE.
AND, UM, IT'S-- YOU KNOW, IT'S HOW YOU, UH,
HOW WE-WE RESPOND TO IT, YOU KNOW?
IT'S-- YOU KNOW, THE DELIBERATION, YOU KNOW,
WE NEED--
UH, HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THOSE-THOSE THINGS.
HERE'S WHAT I'LL SAY.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHO WE ARE UNDER PRESSURE.
I TELL PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT WHO YOU ARE
WHEN EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL.
YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE UNDER PRESSURE WHEN--
AND WHEN THE PRESSURE OF, UH--
OF DIVERSITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS,
THEN WHO YOU ARE WILL COME--
RISE UP AND WE NEED PEOPLE AROUND US.
DOCTOR-DOCTOR-DOCTOR, UH, MOSBY.
PLEASE, UH, PLEASE GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON THIS.
'CAUSE I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME.
- WELL, UM, YOU KNOW,
MY-MY-MY PATH WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I-I'VE SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY CAREER,
UM, AS A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR, YOU KNOW,
WORKING IN, UH, COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY.
AND, UH, L-LOT OF HARDSHIPS, UH, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE OF COLOR,
UH, IN A ROOM OF MANAGERS, IN A ROOM OF DIRECTORS,
IN A ROOM OF VICE PRESIDENTS.
UM, AND THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY
THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU THAT YOU CAN SEEK ADVICE
AND-AND SOLACE FROM.
UM, BUT-BUT Y-YOU KNOW, WHEN I TRANSITIONED
OVER TO-TO NASA, UM,
YOU KNOW, EVEN BEFORE I GOT TO NASA,
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MR. NATHANIEL BOCLAIR,
UM, BECAME, YOU KNOW, A SAFE HARBOR.
HE WAS SOMEONE THAT YOU COULD GO TO
AND SAY, "HEY, I HAVE THESE IDEAS."
OR "WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?"
OR "HEY, WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
LET'S-LET'S SPEND SOME TIME WORKING
THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS."
AND-AND SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING--
I THINK HAVING SOMEONE THAT, UH,
UNDERSTANDS YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR PSYCHE,
UM, WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU,
THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE OPENING UP TO,
UM, HELPS EASE SOME OF THOSE HARDSHIPS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T REALLY
HAD ANY HARDSHIPS AT NASA.
UH, A LOT OF HARD WORK.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME BIASES
AND-AND THOSE BIASES ARE, TO ME,
JUST, UH, THINGS THAT NATURALLY OCCUR
WHEN YOU SELECT A NEW PERSON FOR A NEW POSITION.
OR WHEN YOU'RE TRYIN' TO CHALLENGE THE NORM.
UM, THOSE BIASES ARE-ARE THERE.
THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN,
BEIN' RAISED WITH HAVIN' THAT EXPECTATION OF GREATNESS,
BEING, UH--
BEING AWARE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT
YOU ARE THE FIRST AND THAT THERE ARE OTHERS
THAT NEED TO COME BEHIND YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO WORK
TO OVERCOME THOSE BIASES.
YOU'RE GONNA WORK TO OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES.
UM, A-AND, YOU KNOW, MY ADVICE TO-TO ANYONE
WHO, UH, HAS SIMILAR EXPERIENCES WITH HARDSHIPS
AND DEALING WITH BIASES IS, AGAIN, TO FIND THAT MENTOR.
FIND THAT FRIEND, THAT SAFE HARBOR.
SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN GO TO, UM,
THAT CAN BE A SOUNDING BOARD
WHO'S GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU HONEST.
WHO'S GONNA BE REAL WITH YOU
AND-AND, UM, LET YOU KNOW
WHEN YOU'RE STEPPING OUTSIDE OF YOUR BOUNDS
OR WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ABOUT TO CROSS THAT LINE.
UH, OR GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
ON-ON HOW TO APPROACH THESE THINGS THAT
THEY MAY HAVE ALREADY FACED.
- YEAH, I-I THINK THAT'S GREAT. UM, WOW.
THIS-THIS IS-- TI-TIME IS WINDIN' UP PRETTY QUICK.
UH, AND THIS HAS BEEN SIMPLY, UM, AWESOME TODAY.
AND I DO-I DO WANT TO COMMENT, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW,
THAT THEME OF EXCELLENCE.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE
I THINK, FOR ANY OF YOU WHO ARE ON THIS CALL TODAY
AND YOU LEADERS ON THE PANEL, YOU KNOW,
YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU'RE AT BECAUSE OF YOUR MINDSET.
THINGS HIT YOU.
THINGS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT YOU KNOW,
YOU HAD THIS EXCELLENCE, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU
THAT YOU WERE STRIVIN' FOR LIKE WE ALL,
AND-AND-AND YOU-Y-YOU KEPT FIGHTING.
HERE'S WHAT I TELL PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD COMPLAIN ALL DAY
AND THINGS ARE OUT THERE, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT--
IT'S HOW DO WE RESPOND?
YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE WHEN-WHEN-WHEN LIFE
THROWS ME LEMONS, YOU KNOW--
I KNOW Y'ALL ARE GONNA SAY I'MMA MAKE LEMONADE.
NO, I USED TO MAKE LEMONADE.
I MAKE LEMON MERINGUE PIE NOW, OH, I GO TO THE EXTREME.
YES, UH, NOT-NOT LEMONADE ANYMORE.
I-I MAKE LEMON MERINGUE PIE.
YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE TODAY
WHAT WE THOUGHT YESTERDAY
AND WE'LL BE TOMORROW WHAT WE'RE THINKIN' RIGHT NOW TODAY.
AND SO, TO OVERCOME ANYTHING
IS-IS-IS A-A-A THOUGHT PROCESS.
WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
AND, UM-- AND WE--
AND I WOULD ASK ALL OF YOU TO BE BRIEF, BUT, UM--
AND THEN, WE-WE-WE GONNA END THIS TODAY.
THIS HAS-THIS HAS BEEN JUST AWESOME TO ME.
I'M-I'M ENJOYIN' EVERY BIT OF IT.
AND I WANNA TALK TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU
AND PICK YOUR BRAINS AGAIN.
AND LEARN FROM YOU.
UM, IF WE IGNORE THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRESENTATION,
DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY AT NASA...
COULD THERE BE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES?
IF WE IGNORE IT.
AND, UM, SO,
DR. ODOM, WE'LL-WE'LL-WE'LL START WITH YOU.
WE NEED A COUPLE MINUTES, GUYS, EACH AND WE'LL BE DONE.
UH, A-AND SO WE CAN GET-- BUT THINK ABOUT THAT, UM.
- HEY, I--
I'LL-I'LL SEND OVER TIME AND TELL YA THAT
IF WE DON'T, IT'S GONNA FAIL.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT GONNA WORK
AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT FUNCTIONS ALONG THESE LINES,
THEN IT, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS THINGS
LIKE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES, CREATING SAFE SPACES,
AND A LEADERSHIP THAT STANDS UP AND-AND B--
AND SUPPORTS THAT IN THE FACE AN UNPOPULAR
OR CONTROVERSIAL POSITION.
I MEAN, WE EXPERIENCED THIS LAST YEAR
WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD
AND THE REACTION TO THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED A--
YOU KNOW, YOU NEED A LEADERSHIP THAT'S GONNA SAY,
"YEAH, THAT'S WRONG.
LET'S STAND UP AND LET'S FIGHT AGAINST THAT
AND SHOW THAT WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT."
SO-- SO, YEAH.
- GREAT, GREAT, GREAT. RHEGA?
- THANK YOU.
- YEAH, AB-ABSOLUTELY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY TANGIBLE THINGS.
I THINK MONEY ALWAYS TALKS AND, UM,
WE DEFINITELY SEE THAT, YOU KNOW,
I-IT HAS IMPACT, UM, THROUGH--
ON OUR ECONOMY AND EVERYTHING WHEN WE, UH, DISENFRANCHISE
ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE AND-AND NOT TAKE INTO,
YOU KNOW, ACCOUNT THE-THEIR INPUT
AND-AND THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING.
SO, UM, ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT NASA HAS INCLUSION
AS ONE OF THEIR CORE VALUES NOW.
AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW,
I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, US MAKIN' THAT
JUST A DAILY, UM, PART, YOU KNOW,
PART OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, SO.
- GREAT, GREAT, AWESOME, WHAT ABOUT DR. MOSBY?
- YEAH, I MEAN, Y--
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NASA,
UM, AND-AND THE U.S. SPACE KRO-PROGRAM,
YOU KNOW, IT-IT WAS GERMAN SCIENTISTS
THAT-THAT GOT US OFF THE DIME.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN
MULTIPLE COUNTRIES.
UM, YOU THINK ABOUT THE-THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM,
IT'S-IT'S-- SPACEX WAS THE FIRST.
IT'S-IT'S OWNED BY ELON MUSK, A SOUTH AFRICAN.
UM, WE'RE TALKIN' ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW,
ROUNDING OUT THE-THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM
WITH SIERRA NEVADA CORPORATION,
WHICH IS OWNED BY, UM, YOU KNOW,
UM, TURKISH-TURKISH-BORN- BORN IMMIGRANTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY IS-IS
THE CORNERSTONE OF NASA.
I MEAN, WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE OF DIVERSITY.
BECAUSE OF THIS-THIS, UM, YOU KNOW,
HAVIN' THE ABILITY TO REACH OUT TO OTHER CULTURES
AND BRING THE BEST IDEAS AND THE BEST THAT
THEY HAVE TO OFFER, UH,
TO BEAR TO HELP TO U.S. SPACE PROGRAM.
- AWESOME, AWESOME.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MR. BROWN.
PLEASE GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.
- OKAY, YEAH,
I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO IGNORE IT.
I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO IGNORE ANY OF IT.
'CAUSE THESE-THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE COMIN' UP BEHIND US
WON'T LET YOU.
THESE GUYS ARE BOLD.
THEY'RE-THEY'RE READY TO WORK.
THEY LOVE A CHALLENGE.
AND THEY ARE NOT GONNA LET ANY OF OUR BAGGAGE
GET IN THEIR WAY.
AND SO, UH, WE JUST NEED TO GET OUR MIND RIGHT,
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO IGNORE DIVERSITY
OR INCLUSION OR ANY OF THAT.
WE JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO.
NOT UNLESS YOU WANT A FULL SCALE REVOLT ON YOUR HANDS.
[laughter] - YES.
THAT IS SO TRUE. WOW, THAT IS TRUE.
THEY'RE NOT-- WE'RE OUT OF TIME TODAY.
I RESPECT AND ADMIRE, UH, NASA
AND THE WORK THEY ARE DOING, UH, TO DEVELOP
A CULTURE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
UH, THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PANEL
AND WHAT LOUCIOUS AND YOUR TEAM
AND ALL OF YOU ARE DOING IS JUST GREAT.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU HAD ME ON TODAY,
UH, IN THIS-THIS DISCUSSION.
WE NEED TO KEEP CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION.
AND I TELL YOU LIKE I TELL MOST PEOPLE EVERYWHERE I GO,
WE HAVE NO BAD DAYS.
WE CAN'T AFFORD ANY BAD DAYS,
'CAUSE WE HAVE TOO MUCH AHEAD OF US
WHEN IT COMES TO US GOIN' FORWARD IN-IN LIFE.
WE CAN HAVE A BAD MINUTE, WE CAN HAVE A BAD HOUR,
BUT NOT A FULL DAY, OKAY?
SO, HERE IT IS, Y'ALL READY?
SO, IT'S SUPER SUNDAY. IT'S MARVELOUS MONEY.
IT'S TERRIFIC TUESDAY. IT'S WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY.
IT'S TRIUMPHANT THURSDAY. IT'S FANTASTIC FRIDAY.
AND IT'S SUCCESSFUL SATURDAY.
HEY, I'M DOC ROCK. YOU JOIN ME AT THE TOP.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF THIS TODAY.
BACK TO YOU ALL, LOUCIOUS.
- HI, THANK YOU, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CAROLYN MOSBY.
- CAROLYN?
- GOOD MORNIN', EVERYONE, AND AFTERNOON NOW.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, DOC ROCK.
UH, GREAT, AWESOME MODERATIN' SKILLS.
AND TO OUR AMAZIN' PANELISTS, UH,
FOR Y'ALL CONTRIBUTION, INPUT, AND SHARIN'.
I MUST SAY, I TOOK NOTES.
UM, I WANNA SAY THAT, HEY, WE ARE A-- THERE'S--
WE HAVE PANELISTS THAT HAVE THE SECRET SAUCE,
UH, WE WANNA FIND PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE,
UH, UH, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS
IS BEING DELIBERATE, AND ALSO A CULTURE
OF "AND" VERSUS "OR."
SO, THESE ARE THINGS TO TAKE WITH US AS WE DO
THIS ONGOIN' DISCUSSION SO WE CAN ENSURE
THAT OUR WORKFORCE IS NOT ONLY DIVERSE, BUT EQUITABLE.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK
AND WE INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN US
FOR OUR FORMAL PROGRAM NEXT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY THE 23RD
AT 10:00 AM.
YOU DON'T WANNA MISS THIS AWESOME, UH, EVENT.
WE'RE GONNA BE HIGHLIGHTIN' OTHER-OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER LEADERS.
AND WE WILL HOST A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER,
DR. PAMELA MCCAULEY.
SO, DON'T MISS IT OUT.
AGAIN, THANKS, EVERYONE FOR ATTENDIN' AND JOININ'.
AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
AND JUST REMEMBER THIS A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY,
AS DOC ROCK STATED.