[ MUSIC ]
>> IN RECOGNITION OF AFRICAN
AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH,
NASA SALUTES THE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
TO THE CAUSE
OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
>> MY NAME
IS NATE BEAU CLAIRE, III.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR NASA
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.
I STARTED IN 1977
AS A CO-OP,
AND CURRENTLY TODAY,
I AM MANAGER OF THE SPACE
SYSTEMS OPERATIONS BRANCH
WITHIN THE MISSION
OPERATIONS LABORATORY
OF THE ENGINEERING DIRECTORATE.
I REMEMBER BEING
A VERY SMALL BOY,
WATCHING ON TV THE ASTRONAUTS
WALK ON THE MOON
ON A SMALL BLACK AND WHITE TV.
AND I REMEMBER ASKING MY FATHER
ARE THEY REALLY ON THE MOON.
AND HE SAID YES,
THEY ARE ACTUALLY ON THE MOON.
WHEN I ENTERED COLLEGE,
UH, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED
TO GO INTO A TECHNICAL FIELD
WHICH WAS COMPUTER SCIENCE
AND MATHEMATICS.
AND SOMETHING MAGICALLY
HAPPENED FOR ME
WHILE I WAS IN COLLEGE
WHICH WAS THE COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION PROGRAM.
INITIALLY, I WAS RELUCTANT
BECAUSE I THOUGHT
IT WOULD DELAY MY EDUCATION,
SO BASICALLY, I DID ENTER
THE CO-OP PROGRAM
AND THAT'S HOW I FIRST
ENTERED MY FOOT INTO NASA.
THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE
IN MY LIFE WOULD BE MY PARENTS.
BOTH OF MY PARENTS
ARE EDUCATORS.
SOME OF THE VALUES
THAT THEY INSTILLED IN ME
WOULD BE A STRONG
CHRISTIAN FAITH.
THEY TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE
OF EDUCATION,
HAVING A STRONG EDUCATIONAL
BACKGROUND FOUNDATION.
ALSO, THEY TAUGHT ME
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING WELL
WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE A PERSONAL
STRATEGIC PLAN
WHERE BASICALLY
YOU SET YOUR GOALS,
YOU EVALUATE YOURSELF
ON A ROUTINE BASIS,
AND THAT IS YOUR PLAN
FOR SUCCESS.
>> SINGING: LIFT EVERY VOICE
AND SING
TILL EARTH AND HEAVEN RING
RING WITH THE HARMONIES
OF LIBERTY
LET OUR REJOICING RISE
HIGH AS THE LISTENING SKIES
LET EVERY SOUND
LOUD AS THE ROLLING SEA
SING A SONG
FULL OF THE FAITH THAT
THE DARK PAST HAS TAUGHT US
SING A SONG FULL OF HOPE
THAT THE PRESENT
HAS BROUGHT US
FACING THE RISING SUN
OF OUR NEW DAY BEGUN
LET US MARCH ON
'TIL VICTORY IS WON
[ MUSIC ]
>> SINGING: YOU INSPIRE
DARE TO DREAM
DARE TO BELIEVE
YOU PERSEVERE
TO HEIGHTS UNKNOWN
YOU BELONG
YOU INSPIRE
DARE TO DREAM
DARE TO BELIEVE
YOU PERSEVERE
TO HEIGHTS UNKNOWN
YOU BELONG
[ MUSIC ]
STAND TALL SHINE BRIGHT
FOLLOW IN YOUR LIGHT
STAND TALL SHINE BRIGHT
THE WIN IS IN SIGHT
[ MUSIC ]
HOPE WILL BE OURS
YOU KNOW
HOPE WILL BE OURS
LIGHT WILL ENTER DARKNESS
DARE TO BELIEVE
RAIN FALLS TODAY
YOU INSPIRE
HOPE FOR TOMORROW
YOU ARE
HOPE FOR TOMORROW
[ MUSIC ]
HOPE FOR TOMORROW
DREAM FOR TODAY
[ MUSIC ]
>> MADAM VICE PRESIDENT
KAMALA HARRIS
SAID HER MOTHER USED TO TELL HER
YOU MAY BE THE FIRST
TO DO SOMETHING,
JUST MAKE SURE
YOU AREN'T THE LAST.
YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE
SHE WON'T BE THE LAST
BECAUSE NOW,
BROWN GIRLS EVERYWHERE
GET TO SEE
THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES
LOOKS LIKE THEM.
AND NOW THEY KNOW THAT
THEY TOO CAN DO ANYTHING.
YOU SEE,
REPRESENTATION TRULY MATTERS.
OUR THEME THIS YEAR
IS REPRESENTATION,
IDENTITY, AND DIVERSITY.
TOGETHER, WE ACHIEVE.
IN CELEBRATION
OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH,
WE THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE
TO BEGIN OUR PROGRAM
HONORING OUR VERY OWN
AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS
HERE AT MARSHALL
SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
WHO SHOW US WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
TO NASA'S MISSION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING EXCELLENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING.
THANK YOU ALL
FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.
WE LOOK FORWARD
TO A WONDERFUL PROGRAM
WITH A DYNAMIC SPEAKER.
AND NOW, I'D LIKE TO INVITE
ONE OF OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN
ADVISORY WORKING GROUP MEMBERS,
JENNIFER PATTON,
TO INTRODUCE
OUR WELCOME SPEAKER.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER PATTON
AND I'M AN IT SPECIALIST
IN IS-93
AND I'M A MEMBER
OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
WORKING ADVISORY GROUP.
I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE
OUR WELCOME SPEAKER
WHO YOU ALL KNOW VERY WELL,
OUR CENTER DIRECTOR,
JODY SINGER.
JODY SINGER IS THE DIRECTOR
OF NASA'S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.
APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER 2018
AS THE FIRST FEMALE
MARSHALL CENTER DIRECTOR,
SINGER MANAGES ONE
OF NASA'S LARGEST
FIELD INSTALLATIONS WITH
NEARLY 6,000 ON
AND NEAR-SITE CIVIL SERVICE
AND CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES
AND AN ANNUAL OF $3.6 BILLION.
PRIOR TO BEING NAMED
TO THE POSITION,
SINGER HAD SERVED
AS MARSHALL'S ACTING DIRECTOR
SINCE JULY 2018
AND WAS DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FROM FEBRUARY 2016
TO JULY 2018,
ASSISTING THE DIRECTOR
WITH THE DAILY MANAGEMENT
OF THE CENTER'S WORKFORCE
AND OPERATIONS.
DURING HER 35-YEAR NASA CAREER,
SINGER HAS HELD LEADERSHIP ROLES
OF INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY
IN HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY
AND SCIENCE FLIGHT MISSIONS
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
AND WAS APPOINTED IN 2002
TO THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE,
THE PERSONNEL SYSTEM
COVERING TOP MANAGERIAL
POSITIONS IN FEDERAL AGENCIES.
SHE BEGAN HER NASA
ENGINEERING CAREER IN 1985
THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL
INTERN PROGRAM
IN THE MISSION PLANNING
AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
IN 1986,
SHE JOINED THE SPACE SHUTTLE
PROGRAM OFFICE
WHERE SHE WAS AN ENGINEER
IN THE SPACE SHUTTLE
MAIN ENGINE OFFICE.
FROM 2002 UNTIL 2007,
SHE SERVED AS THE FIRST
FEMALE PROJECT MANAGER
FOR THE REUSABLE SOLID
ROCKET BOOSTER PROJECT
AND LED THE TEAM
DURING THE COLUMBIA
RETURN TO FLIGHT ACTIVITIES.
FROM 2010 THROUGH 2012,
SHE HELD DEPUTY POSITIONS
FOR THREE CONCURRENT
MAJOR PROGRAMS,
THE SPACE SHUTTLE, ARIES,
AND THE START-UP OF
THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM.
SINGER, A NATIVE
OF HARTSELLE, ALABAMA,
EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
IN 1983
AND SHE IS A 2017 DISTINGUISHED
ENGINEERING FELLOW.
SHE HAS COMPLETED
TWO NASA FELLOWSHIPS
AND HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED
WITH NUMEROUS AWARDS
DURING HER NASA CAREER,
INCLUDING A PRESIDENTIAL
RANK AWARD
FOR DISTINGUISHED EXECUTIVE
AND MERITORIOUS EXECUTIVE,
THE HIGHEST HONOR
FOR CAREER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.
SINGER AND HER HUSBAND, CHRIS,
LIVE IN HUNTSVILLE.
THEY HAVE THREE CHILDREN
AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN.
WHILE JODY HAS ACCOMPLISHED
ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL THINGS,
JODY IS ALSO A CHAMPION
OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
AND INCLUSION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY, JODY,
AND FOR SHARING A FEW THOUGHTS
ON OUR PROGRAM THEME.
AFTER WE HEAR
FROM OUR CENTER DIRECTOR,
ANDREA BROWN,
A BUDGET ANALYST IN RS-40
AND HER DAUGHTER,
JAYA LEAH BROWN WILL SING
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR US.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
>> GOOD MORNING,
AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME TODAY FOR OUR
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM.
I'M EXCITED
TO WELCOME YOU TO THIS EVENT
HOSTED BY OUR OFFICE
OF DIVERSITY
AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFICE
OF HUMAN RESOURCES
AND THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC
ANALYSIS AND COMMUNICATION.
THIS YEAR, WE CELEBRATE
THE THEME REPRESENTATION,
IDENTITY, AND DIVERSITY.
TOGETHER, WE ACHIEVE.
I LOVE THIS BECAUSE FOR ME,
IT'S FOCUSED ON
THE MARSHALL TEAM
AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AT MARSHALL
AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM
TO ACHIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE,
THINGS WE TACKLE EVERY DAY.
AND WHEN WE SAY TOGETHER,
WE MEAN WE MUST BE A TEAM
THAT IS DIVERSE, EQUITABLE,
AND INCLUSIVE.
AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NASA
CORE VALUE IS INCLUSION.
IT IS A BUILDING BLOCK
TO CREATING
AND MAINTAINING A CULTURE
THAT WELCOMES EVERYONE,
ONE THAT MAKES EACH PERSON
FEEL COMFORTABLE
BEING THEMSELVES
AND CONTRIBUTING
THEIR OWN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS.
TODAY, WE CELEBRATE
OUR BLACK EMPLOYEES,
OUR DIVERSE TALENTS,
BACKGROUNDS, AND EXPERIENCES
WHICH MAKES OUR CENTER
AND OUR AGENCY
BETTER AT WHAT WE DO.
WE ARE STRONGER, SMARTER,
AND MORE SUCCESSFUL
WHEN WE HAVE A WELL-ROUNDED
AND REPRESENTATIVE WORKFORCE.
INCLUSION IS IMPORTANT
FOR OUR SUCCESS.
IT'S HOW WE WILL
ACHIEVE TOGETHER.
AND I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE
MY LEADERSHIP TEAM,
MY SENIOR LEADERS
AND SUPERVISORS TO MAKE
INCLUSION A PRIORITY.
ODEO DOES A GREAT JOB
GUIDING US IN THESE EFFORTS.
INSIDE HR, OSAC,
AND OTHER PARTNERS
IN THE LEGAL OFFICE
AND AROUND THE CENTER.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE JOINED ME
IN ONE OF MARSHALL'S
EMPLOYEE DIVERSITY DIALOGUES
THIS PAST YEAR.
THESE FRUITFUL,
OPEN HEART-TO-HEARTS
FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS CONTINUED
OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTER
AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT.
AT OUR MOST RECENT EVENT,
A PANEL OF MSFC LEADERS
DISCUSSED MICROAGGRESSIONS
AND EXPLORED
HOW TO HAVE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS
WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THE PANEL AND CONVERSATIONS
FURTHER SOLIDIFIED
THAT IT'S NOT JUST ODEO
FOCUSING ON INCLUSION,
IT'S SOMETHING WE MUST DO
TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
IT TAKES ALL OF US.
THE ODEO, HR, ENGINEERING,
AND OUR OSTEEN OFFICES
ARE ALSO HELPING US MAINTAIN
AND IMPROVE OUR COMMITMENT
TO DIVERSITY INCLUSION
BY STRENGTHENING
BLACK REPRESENTATION
AT MARSHALL.
BUILDING BRIDGES TO THOSE
WHO ARE UNDERREPRESENTED
ISN'T JUST THE RIGHT THING
TO DO, IT'S VITAL
TO THE CENTER'S FUTURE.
THIS INVOLVES OUTREACH TO HBCUS
INCLUDING TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
AND AT EVENTS
LIKE THE ALABAMA HBCU SUMMIT
AT MILES COLLEGE,
WHICH HELP US FIND
MANY TOP CANDIDATES
WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
CURRENTLY, 20% OF MARSHALL'S
WORKFORCE IDENTIFIES
AS A MINORITY.
THAT'S THE CIVIL SERVANTS ALONE.
166 OF THOSE EMPLOYEES
HAVE GRADUATED FROM AN HBCU,
OR MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION.
THAT'S NEARLY 7%
OF OUR CIVIL SERVANT WORKFORCE.
FROM OUR OWN HUNTSVILLE AREA,
WE HAVE 37 TEAM MEMBERS
WITH DEGREES FROM ALABAMA
A&M UNIVERSITY AND 10 MORE
FROM OAKWOOD UNIVERSITY.
BUT WE KNOW THE HBCU'S
HAVE MANY MORE STUDENTS
GRADUATING EACH YEAR
WHO COULD JOIN US.
OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL
MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS
ARE IMPORTANT PARTNERS.
THEY'RE MAINTAINING
THE EDUCATION PIPELINE
TO BUILD OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.
THEY FOSTER AND INSPIRE
GREAT TALENT.
SPEAKING OF THAT INSPIRATION,
I AM DELIGHTED TO HEAR
FROM TODAY'S KEYNOTE SPEAKER,
PAMELA MCCAULEY,
ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE
AS A BLACK WOMAN IN STEM
LATER IN THE PROGRAM.
THIS BLACK HISTORY MONTH,
I WANT TO REMIND YOU
THAT THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
BLACK AMERICANS
HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT
IN ACHIEVING MISSION MILESTONES
HERE AT MARSHALL
AND AROUND THE AGENCY.
THE PROGRAM OPENER
WE SAW EARLIER
IS A TRIBUTE TO THOSE-THOSE
WHOSE PERSEVERANCE,
THOSE WHOSE DEDICATION
TO OUR MISSION
AND TO THIS COMMUNITY
PAVE FORWARD
TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I KNOW THIS PAST YEAR
HAS BEEN TOUGH FOR MANY AND
I RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE ISSUES
THE BLACK COMMUNITY FACES
ACROSS OUR NATION
AND HERE AT HOME.
WE STILL HAVE RACISM
TO OVERCOME AND EQUITY
IN OUR SOCIETY
AND BRUTALITY TO ADDRESS.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS
OF THE MARSHALL'S
AFRICAN AMERICAN
ADVISORY WORKING GROUP
FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
AND ADVICE TO OUR LEADERSHIP
TEAM AS WE GUIDE THE MARSHALL
SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
INTO THE FUTURE.
WE MUST REMAIN AWARE
OF THE ISSUES OF TODAY
AND MAKE CHANGES TO ENSURE
A BRIGHTER TOMORROW.
ANOTHER PART
OF THAT BRIGHTER TOMORROW
IS THE YOUNG FOLKS
WHO ARE GROWING UP IN A WORLD
WHERE AMERICANS AGAIN
ARE LAUNCHING FROM AMERICAN
SOIL TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION
AND WHERE MARSHALL LEADS THE WAY
TO THE MOON AND MARS,
FROM LAUNCH TO LANDING,
WITH THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM.
REPRESENTATION MATTERS.
I KNOW GRADE SCHOOLS
AND COLLEGE STUDENTS BENEFIT
WHEN THEY SEE THEMSELVES
AND OUR MISSIONS
THROUGH THE FOLKS
WE HAVE AT OUR CENTER
AND THE GREAT WORK YOU'RE DOING.
AND THINGS THAT OUR ADVISORY
WORKING GROUP MEMBERS
ARE DOING LIKE GREAT OUTREACH
TO LOCAL, MIDDLE,
AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
AND DROPPING OFF SUPPLIES.
THIS ONLY HELPS TO INCREASE
STUDENTS' INTEREST IN STEM.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO INSPIRE
THE NEXT GENERATION
OF ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS,
TECHNICIANS, AND LEADERS
FROM EVERY CORNER
OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I ALWAYS SAY
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST,
GO ALONE,
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR,
LET'S GO TOGETHER.
TOGETHER, WITH INCLUSION,
WE MOVE FORWARD.
I AM PROUD OF OUR TEAM
AND I'M GRATEFUL
FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES
TO LEARN FROM OUR HISTORY.
TOGETHER WE ARE ACHIEVING.
>> SINGING: OH SAY CAN YOU SEE
BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED
AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING
WHOSE BROAD STRIPES
AND BRIGHT STARS
THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT
O'ER THE RAMPARTS
WE WATCHED
WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING
AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE
THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR
GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT
THAT OUR FLAG
WAS STILL THERE
OH SAY DOES THAT
STAR SPANGLED BANNER
YET WAVE
O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE
AND THE HOME OF THE
BRAVE
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
UM, THANK YOU ALL
FOR JOINING US TODAY.
AND TODAY,
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO, UM,
AND A PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE
TO YOU OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER
FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
DR. PAMELA MCCAULEY
IS AN INTERNATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED INNOVATOR,
ENTREPRENEUR, AND ENGINEERING
RESEARCHER IN THE DEVELOPMENTS
OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS,
HUMAN ENGINEERING,
AND ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP,
AN AUTHOR OF OVER
100 TECHNICAL--
TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS.
SHE IS A FULL PROFESSOR
AND TAUGHT INDUSTRY--
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
FOR 27 YEARS AND PREVIOUSLY
HELD THE POSITION
OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,
VISITING ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
OF AERONAUTICS
AND ASTRONAUTICS
AT THE MASSACHUSETTS
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.
IN JANUARY 2018,
SHE WAS SELECTED
AS A PROGRAM DIRECTOR
FOR THE NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION'S I-CORPS PROGRAM
WHERE SHE SERVED IN THIS ROLE
UNTIL 2020.
IN 2019, SHE WAS NAMED
TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR
BY THE PRESTIGIOUS
"WOMEN OF COLOR MAGAZINE".
SHE'S RECENTLY ACCEPTED
A NEW POSITION
AS THE ASSOCIATE DEAN
OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
IN THE WILSON COLLEGE
OF TEXTILES AT NORTH CAROLINA
STATE UNIVERSITY.
AS AN AWARD-WINNING EDUCATOR,
SHE IS ON A MISSION
TO EMPOWER WOMEN
TO SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE STEM
EDUCATIONAL, ENTREPRENEUR,
AND CAREER GOALS.
SHE PRESENTLY RESIDES
IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
WITH HER HUSBAND,
MR. JOHNNY MICHAEL.
MY MOTHER USED TO ALWAYS TELL ME
THAT PEOPLE CAN SAY
WHATEVER THEY WANT,
BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE
TO LET YOUR WORK
SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
DR. MCCAULEY'S WORK
DEFINITELY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
IT IS AN HONOR,
AND AS WE LOOK FORWARD
TO HEARING FROM HER TODAY
AND MORE IN THE FUTURE,
I WOULD LIKE
TO WELCOME DR. MCCAULEY.
SO, DR. MCCAULEY, THANK YOU
AND THE CAMERA IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE,
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANGELA,
FOR THAT WARM INTRODUCTION.
AND I SEE WE BOTH
GOT THE MEMO ON THE RED
AND THE PEARLS.
SO, WE ARE READY.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH, NASA,
FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW
THAT I AM DELIGHTED
TO BE A PART OF YOUR PROGRAM
AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND AS YOU'LL HEAR
IN MY REMARKS,
NASA HAS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE
IN MY HEART FOR MANY REASONS.
AND SO, FOR THE LEADERSHIP
THAT YOU'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS
AS WELL AS JUST--
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED
THE SPACE PROGRAM
SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE TODAY.
DELIGHTED TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT
AND YOUR EFFORTS
AT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
AND WANT TO APPLAUD
ALL OF THE LEADERSHIP
FOR SUPPORTING
THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM.
SO WITH THAT,
I DO HAVE A FEW SLIDES
THAT I WANT TO GO THROUGH.
I'M FROM OKLAHOMA,
BUT I TALK REALLY FAST.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH
THESE SLIDES
BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WANT
TO SAVE SOME TIME
FOR QUESTION-AND-ANSWER
AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO VISIT
WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT.
[ SCREAMING ]
WHAT--
I HAVE AN ENTHUSIASTIC
PERSON OUT THERE.
I LOVE IT.
SO, THIS IS A CALL
TO LEADERSHIP.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, FIRST OF ALL,
AS I MENTIONED,
I REALLY WANT TO SAY TO NASA
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECADES
OF LEADERSHIP
IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION AND WELCOMING
PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS WHEN MANY
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DIDN'T.
SO, JUST WANT TO AGAIN
SAY KUDOS TO NASA FOR THAT
AND THANK YOU
BECAUSE THIS IS A-A LONG HAUL,
BUT YOU HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES
TO SHOW US THAT
IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO PROMOTE
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
AND I'M SURE THAT
THERE'S CONTINUED WORK
TO BE DONE AT NASA
AS THERE IS EVERYWHERE,
BUT JUST DELIGHTED
TO KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING
FOR SO MANY DECADES.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, A CALL TO LEADERSHIP.
LISTEN, FOLKS,
WE ARE IN A TIME WHERE
IT IS TRULY URGENT
THAT WE UTILIZE GOOD
ENGINEERING, SCIENCE,
AND LET THAT ENGINEERING
AND SCIENCE LEAD TO INNOVATIONS
TO ADDRESS ALL TYPES
OF CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING
IN THIS GLOBAL SOCIETY.
AND SO, IT IS JUST REALLY,
REALLY SMART FOR US
TO THINK ABOUT IMPLEMENTING
INTENTIONAL, IMPACTFUL,
AND WHEN I SAY--
AND TRACEABLE DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES.
AND TRACEABLE MEANS TO BE ABLE
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE IMPACT
OF THOSE THINGS
WHICH WE ARE IMPLEMENTING
BECAUSE IT IMPACTS US
INTERNATIONALLY TODAY.
IT'S NOT JUST NATIONAL.
IT USED TO BE WE'D BE
CONCERNED ABOUT OUR STATE
AND OUR COUNTRY
AND I THINK WE'VE ALL
COME TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE REALLY HAVE BECOME
A GLOBAL SOCIETY.
SO, THIS IS AN URGENT CALL
TO LEADERSHIP.
NEXT, PLEASE.
SO, WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT DIVERSITY,
I-I LOVE THIS-THIS SLIDE
BECAUSE DIVERSITY MEANS
TRULY BRINGING EVERYONE,
WELCOMING THEM,
WELCOMING EVERYONE
TO BRING THEIR UNIQUE STRENGTHS,
THEIR UNIQUE RESILIENCE,
THEIR RICHNESS,
AND THEIR DIFFERENT
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS,
DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS
THAT MAKE US ALL SO UNIQUE
AND AMAZING.
AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
BUT NOT ONLY
DO WE WANT DIVERSITY,
WE WANT INCLUSION.
AND I-I HAVE HERE,
I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE PRACTICE
AND POLICY OF PROVIDING
EQUAL ACCESS.
AND I LIKE THOSE TERMS
IN THIS-THIS PARTICULAR
DEFINITION OF INCLUSION.
SO, THE PRACTICE
AND POLICY MEANS
IT'S A PART OF WHO WE ARE.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING
THAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO,
BUT WE CAN SEE INCLUSION
EMBEDDED IN HOW WE HIRE PEOPLE,
HOW WE PROMOTE PEOPLE,
HOW WE ENGAGE PEOPLE
FOR PROJECTS.
SO, IT NEEDS TO BE
A PART OF OUR CULTURE
BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAY DIVERSITY
IS INVITING ME TO A PARTY,
INCLUSION IS ASKING ME TO DANCE.
SO, IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WHEN WE BRING
OUR DIVERSE BROTHERS
AND SISTERS INTO THE ROOM,
INTO THE TABLE THAT THEY FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE TRULY WELCOME
AND ARE AN ACTUAL PART OF IT.
SO, DON'T BRING ME IN
AND MARGINALIZE ME.
THAT ACTUALLY DOES--
IS EVEN MORE DETRIMENTAL
THAN NOT BRINGING ME IN AT ALL.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, DIVERSITY AND INNOVATION.
AND I-I TELL YOU,
I USED TO SAY THAT
THE GREAT RECESSION TAUGHT US
THAT WE WERE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER
BECAUSE WHEN THE ECONOMY
WENT DOWN IN AMERICA,
YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN UP
MORE THAN SOMEBODY ELSE,
BUT IT HURT A WHOLE LOT
OF PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT
SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS.
AND NOW THE PANDEMIC 2020,
LORD, THAT WAS JUST A BLUR.
IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND BY NOW
HOW DIVERSITY AND INNOVATION
ARE INTERRELATED,
IT'S TIME FOR US TO SIT DOWN
AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE
AND TALK ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE TO COPE
WITH GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
AND SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY,
AGAIN, I THINK 2020 SHOWS
JUST HOW MUCH UNCERTAINTY IS.
ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS,
WE NEED TO BE ABLE
TO COME TOGETHER AND ENGAGE
IN INNOVATIVE BEHAVIOR.
AND THE MOST INNOVATIVE BEHAVIOR
HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE
DIFFERENT PEOPLE THERE.
AND SO,
DEMOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING,
IT IS AN IMPERATIVE NASA,
IT IS AN IMPERATIVE AMERICA
THAT WE COME TOGETHER
UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE
THAT OUR DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS
BRING AS IT RELATES
TO OUR ABILITY TO INNOVATE,
TO CREATE, TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO, I CALL THIS--
I SAY EMPOWER.
DIVERSITY PLUS ACCESS
EQUALS INNOVATION.
SO, BRING US IN, INCLUDE THEM,
INCLUDE EVERYONE
AND THEN LET'S GIVE THEM ACCESS.
AND THE WORLD IS REALLY POISED
TO PROMOTE AND ACCELERATE
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
BY LEVERAGING INNOVATION.
AND I--
ANGELA SHARED
IN HER INTRODUCTION
THAT I WAS PROGRAM DIRECTOR
FOR THE NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION I-CORPS PROGRAM.
FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS
I WAS A ROTATOR THERE AT NSF.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I'VE ALWAYS LOVED
IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP
AND INNOVATION.
AND-- BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN
IN RECENT YEARS
IS A COMPRESSION
OF THE INNOVATION
OR THE PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE.
SO, WE NEED SOLUTIONS
FAST TODAY, FOLKS.
AND SO, AGAIN,
BRINGING US TOGETHER,
HELPING US BE EMPOWERED
TO WORK TOGETHER,
TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO CREATE
NEW IDEAS OR TURN NEW SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING
INTO INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
AND TO DO IT AT LIGHTNING SPEED
BECAUSE AS WE CAN SEE,
IT IS NEEDED.
AND I HAVE TO SAY
I WAS TRULY IMPRESSED
AND SO PROUD TO BE
AN ENGINEERING PERSON AS---
PERSON OF SCIENCE
WHEN I SAW THE RATE AT WHICH
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
RESPONDED TO THE PANDEMIC
IN 2020 IN TERMS OF VACCINES
AND THEN ALSO IN TERMS
OF GETTING PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT READY.
NOW-- AND I'M VERY SORRY
AND SAD TO KNOW
HOW WE'VE LOST SO MANY,
BUT AGAIN, I DO THINK THAT
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
REALLY WORKED HARD
AND DID AN ADMIRABLE JOB
IN TERMS OF RESPONSE.
BUT THERE'S MORE TO BE DONE!
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE
FOR US TO DO.
SO, DIVERSITY IS NOT
JUST A GOOD IDEA, FOLKS,
IT'S A SMART IDEA.
AND I-I HOPE EVERY LEADER
OUT THERE HEARS THAT.
IT IS NOT JUST A GOOD IDEA.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR TEAM
ROCKING AND ROLLING
AND MAKING IT HAPPEN,
TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOUR TABLE
AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY
AROUND YOUR TABLE
DOES NOT LOOK THE SAME
BECAUSE WE MUST HAVE
DIVERSITY OF ART,
DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVE,
AND THAT IS HOW WE GET
THESE NEW INNOVATIVE IDEAS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU
FIVE WAYS TO TAKE ACTION
ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
AND INCLUSION.
AND THESE COME FROM THE CENTER
FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP,
AND I THOUGHT
THEY WERE SO POWERFUL
I JUST HAD TO SHARE THEM.
FIRST ONE, PLEASE.
NEXT, PLEASE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, CHANGE,
OR START THE CONVERSATION.
OKAY, YOU CAN GO BACK.
I KNOW, I'M TALKING--
I TOLD YOU I TALK FAST.
SO, CHANGE OR START
THE CONVERSATION.
GUESS WHAT, NASA MARSHALL?
YOU ARE ALREADY HAVING
THAT CONVERSATION.
GIVE YOURSELVES
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
BUT MAYBE WE NEED
MORE CONVERSATION.
BUT FOSTER DIRECT CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
AND INCLUSION.
YOU KNOW, LET'S BREAK DOWN
THESE SILOS AND THESE
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS.
AND TO WORK WITH THOSE
WHOSE BACKGROUND AND PERSPECTIVE
IS-IS REALLY DIFFERENT
OR EVEN SOMETIMES AT ODDS.
AND I ALWAYS JOKE WITH PEOPLE.
I SAY, UH, YOU KNOW,
I'M FROM OKLAHOMA.
I DON'T REALLY LIKE
PEOPLE FROM TEXAS,
BUT I HAVE TO TALK TO THEM.
OKAY?
SO, CHANGE OR START
THE CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN MAP
NETWORK CONNECTIONS.
THIS IS FASCINATING TO ME.
SO, TAKE A NETWORK PERSPECTIVE.
AND WE KNOW;
WE'VE GOT TECHNICAL FOLKS
ALL IN THIS CALL.
SO, TAKE A LOOK
AT YOUR MECHANISM,
SUCH AS EMAIL TRAFFIC,
AND MAP THE PATH OF WHO YOU CALL
FOR DIFFERENT CHALLENGES,
UM, MEETINGS,
AND IT WILL-- IT MAY REVEAL THAT
YOUR GROUP OR YOUR CONNECTIONS
ARE TYPICALLY THE SAME PEOPLE.
SO, WHAT HAPPENS
IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS
IS WE HAVE AN OVERRELIANCE
ON A FEW PEOPLE OR A FEW GROUPS.
AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW,
IF WE HAVE LIKE ONE MINORITY
OR ONE WOMAN AND SHE--
SHE'S DOING A BANG-UP JOB,
SO SHE KEEPS GETTING CALLS.
SHE KEEPS GETTING CALLED.
CALL ANOTHER WOMAN.
INVITE ANOTHER PERSON OF COLOR.
SO, AND ALSO, I'M SAYING THIS
TO EVERYONE, TO EVERYONE.
WE ALL NEED DIVERSE GROUPS.
SO, BLACK PEOPLE DON'T ONLY
NEED TO TALK TO BLACK PEOPLE.
WHITE PEOPLE DON'T ONLY NEED
TO TALK TO WHITE PEOPLE.
BROWN PEOPLE DON'T ONLY NEED
TO TALK TO BROWN PEOPLE.
AND WOMEN DON'T ONLY NEED
TO TALK TO WOMEN
AND MEN DON'T ONLY NEED
TO TALK TO MEN.
WE NEED EACH OTHER, FOLKS, OKAY?
SO, MAP THOSE NETWORK CONNECTION
AND YOU MAY BE SURPRISED
AT WHAT YOU'LL FIND.
NEXT, PLEASE.
MENTOR, SPONSOR, AND ADVOCATE.
MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO BLESSED
BY MENTORS AND SPONSORS
AND PEOPLE WHO ADVOCATED FOR ME
THAT TODAY I DON'T EVEN KNOW
HOW NOT TO DO THAT
FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT OFTENTIMES,
DUE TO UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
OR SYSTEMS OF POWER,
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
LIKE THEIR MANAGERS
OR THEIR ORGANIZATION'S
DOMINANT LEADERS,
OFTENTIMES WON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO MENTORING
OR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT,
BUT I'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED
WHERE I HAD MENTORS
WHO WERE WHITE MALES,
WHO WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES
THAT MENTORED ME.
SO, I'VE HAD MENTORS
THAT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ME
AND MAYBE THEY COULDN'T
TALK TO ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
HOW I SHOULD WEAR MY HAIR
IF I'M GOING
TO A DIFFERENT COUNTRY
TO WORK ON A PROJECT,
BUT THEY COULD TALK TO ME
ABOUT THE CAREER PATHS,
ABOUT CERTAIN TECHNICAL AREAS
WHERE I COULD SHORE UP
MY SKILLS,
ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AREAS WHERE I COULD GROW.
SO, DON'T BE CONCERNED
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE
WHO LOOK LIKE YOU
IN AN ORGANIZATION.
IF YOU THINK
THAT YOU STILL NEED THEM
AND YOU NEED A MENTOR,
ASK SOMEBODY.
SO, MAKE SURE THAT WE--
THE MENTEES AND THOSE
WHO ARE LOOKING TO MENTOR,
SPONSOR, OR ADVOCATE
ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE,
THAT YOU ARE OPEN TO HAVING
A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE
IN EITHER DIRECTION.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND THEN ANALYZE
YOUR TALENT PROCESSES.
CAN I TELL YOU HOW MUCH
I LOVE THIS PICTURE?
LOOK AT THIS.
GO, NASA, GO!
SO, TALENT PROCESSES REFLECT
AND CREATE NORMS THAT CAN BE
LEVERS FOR SYSTEMWIDE CHANGE.
SO, REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
AND IT FRUSTRATES ME
WHEN I HEAR SOMEBODY SAY TODAY,
OH, WELL, WE JUST, YOU KNOW,
WE TRIED TO FIND US
SOME PEOPLE OF COLOR, YOU KNOW,
TO BE FACULTY MEMBERS.
I'M IN A COMMUNITY WHERE--
IN FLORIDA, AND WE DON'T HAVE
A HISPANIC FACULTY MEMBER.
IN FLORIDA?
IN A DEPARTMENT?
COME ON, FOLKS!
COME ON, NOW.
SO, WE HAD TO ANALYZE
OUR TALENT PRACTICES
AND REALLY START TO LOOK AT
HOW ARE WE GOING AFTER TALENT?
HOW ARE WE PRESENTING OUR IDEAS?
WHO IS EVALUATING THEM
WHEN THEY COME IN?
SO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO ANALYZE OUR TALENT PRACTICES.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND THEN GO DEEPER ON IDENTITY.
THIS ONE'S A LITTLE--
A LITTLE DEEPER.
WE MIGHT NEED SOME COACHING
TO HELP WITH THIS.
BUT THE CONCEPT
OF SOCIAL IDENTITY
REALLY CAN HELP PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THE SIMILARITIES
AND DIFFERENCES
AND THEIR IMPACT
ON THE WORKPLACE.
I AM VERY GLAD
THAT WE ARE NOW USING
THE TERM UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
BECAUSE I DO THINK--
I REALLY-- OF COURSE,
YOU KNOW, I COULD BE WRONG,
BUT I'M AN OPTIMIST.
I ALWAYS SAID MY MOTHER WAS
THE MOST OPTIMISTIC PERSON
IN THE WORLD, SO I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO NOT BE OPTIMISTIC.
BUT I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE
GET UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY
I'M GOING TO GO DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST SOMEBODY TODAY.
I COULD BE WRONG,
BUT I JUST DON'T-- I MEAN,
I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE--
WE KNOW THERE ARE THOSE
ON THE FRINGE.
BUT I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE
MOST PEOPLE JUST GET UP
IN THE MORNING AND SAY
I'M GOING TO GO
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST A WOMAN
OR A PERSON OF COLOR TODAY.
I THINK IT'S
OUR UNCONSCIOUS BIASES
THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT
LEAD US INTO SITUATIONS
WHERE IT DOES RESULT
IN DISCRIMINATION.
MY MOM ALWAYS SAID
IT WASN'T THE INTENT,
BUT IT IS THE RESULT.
AND SO, I THINK
OFTENTIMES THAT HAPPENS.
AND OTHER THINGS.
DON'T MAKE DECISIONS FOR OTHERS
BASED ON YOUR PERCEPTION.
I DO A LOT OF TALKS
FOR A WOMEN'S GROUP
AND TALK TO A LOT OF WOMEN'S
LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THINGS SUCH AS
PEOPLE MAKING A DECISION,
I TALK TO LEADERS A LOT ABOUT
HOW TO RETAIN WOMEN IN STEM.
THAT'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER STORY,
HOW MANY WOMEN IN STEM
ARE DROPPING OUT.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES
THEY'LL SAY, WELL,
SHE HAS A YOUNG FAMILY
AND SHE'S A SINGLE MOM
AND I DON'T THINK SHE'D WANT
THIS CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
LET'S NOT DO THAT.
LET'S NOT MAKE
DECISIONS FOR OTHERS
BECAUSE THAT MAY BE YOUR BIAS.
YOU MAY THINK THAT
THAT'S BEING CONSIDERATE OF HER,
BUT IN FACT IT MAY BE
MARGINALIZING HER.
SO, LET'S GO DEEPER ON IDENTITY
AND UNDERSTAND THAT
WE ALL DO HAVE SOME WORK TO DO
IN THIS SPACE.
NEXT, PLEASE.
SO, I WANTED TO SAY THIS.
FOLKS, THIS IS A MARATHON.
IT'S NOT A SPRINT.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL,
I USED TO RUN.
I WAS A SPRINTER.
WELL, YOU KNOW,
THAT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG
BECAUSE SOON I BECAME A MOM.
BUT WHEN I GOT OLDER,
I RAN A COUPLE OF MARATHONS--
26.2 MILES.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO THINK
AND PONDER ON A MARATHON.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO BE
DOING ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
AND INCLUSION.
WE HAVE TO BE THINKING
ABOUT OUR PACE, OUR PATH,
THE PROCESSES THAT WE'RE USING.
AND WE NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE
MAKING COURSE CORRECTIONS
IF WE SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING
IS NOT WORKING.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, ADDRESSING BIAS.
I LOVE THIS EXAMPLE.
GOOGLE'S OWN DATA.
IF YOU'LL HIT IT AGAIN,
IT'LL BRING THE REST
OF THE DATA IN.
GOOGLE'S OWN DATA SHOWED
THAT WOMEN WERE PROMOTED
LESS OFTEN THAN MEN
BECAUSE WORKERS NEEDED
TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES.
AND WOMEN WHO DID SO
GOT PUSH BACK.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
YES, WE CAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY
WHEN I'M DOING A TALK LIKE THIS,
IF I'M GOING TO BE
KIND OF HARD ON THE MEN,
I START OUT BY SAYING,
AT THE BEGINNING,
MEN, I LOVE YOU.
I DO, MEN, I TRULY LOVE YOU.
BUT SOME OF THIS STUFF'S
GOING TO KIND OF STINK,
BECAUSE WHY IN THE WORLD
WOULD A WOMAN GET PUSH BACK
WHEN YOU NOMINATE YOURSELF?
YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T EXPECT
TO SEE THAT IN WOMEN.
AND SO, WE HAVE TO
QUESTION OUR BIASES
AND HOW WE ARE PERCEIVING
FEMALE LEADERS
IN OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR
FROM YOUR CENTER DIRECTOR.
I'M SO EXCITED TO HEAR FROM HER.
AND SO PLEASED WITH HOW--
THE AMAZING THINGS
THAT SHE'S DOING IN TERMS
OF LEADING YOUR CENTER.
BUT LOOK AT THIS.
WHEN GOOGLE BEGAN
INCLUDING FEMALE LEADERS
AT WORKSHOPS TO COACH EVERYONE,
MEN AND THE WOMEN, ON HOW TO
PROMOTE THEMSELVES EFFECTIVELY,
THE DIFFERENCE DISAPPEAR--
THE BIAS DISAPPEARED.
ONE MORE, PLEASE.
HIT IT ONE MORE.
SO, LOOK AT THAT.
THE GENDER DIFFERENCE
AMONG NOMINEES DISAPPEARED.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
WOMEN, NOMINATE YOURSELF
IF YOU FEEL YOU WANT
AN OPPORTUNITY, OKAY?
WE'LL WORK WITH PEOPLE
TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT
THAT IS JUST FINE FOR YOU
TO BE AMBITIOUS.
AMBITION IS NOT A BAD WORD.
IN 2015, "MORE" MAGAZINE
HAD AN AWARD, AND I WAS GIVEN
THE AMBITION AWARD
BY "MORE" MAGAZINE.
AND I THANKED THEM
FOR HAVING AN AWARD
TITLED AMBITION FOR WOMEN.
BECAUSE SO OFTEN,
WOMEN WHO ARE AMBITIOUS
ARE SEEN IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT.
AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE SO.
SO NEXT, PLEASE.
SO, FOLKS, WE'RE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE ALL NEED TO BE
A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
WE NEED TO BE PRESENT
IN STEM EDUCATION,
CAREERS, AND INNOVATION,
AND NASA IS ALL ABOUT
INNOVATION AND STEM.
SO, I'M SURE YOU UNDERSTAND
THAT WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE
AS ITS RELATED TO THIS.
NEXT, PLEASE.
SO, WHAT CAN WE DO
AS INDIVIDUALS?
I WANT TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH
THIS NEXT ONE.
SO, BECAUSE WE TALK
ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION,
WE TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT,
WE TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
NOW, AS AN INDIVIDUAL,
AND I'M VERY MUCH
ABOUT US DOING OUR PART.
WE CERTAINLY WANT
OUR LEADERSHIP TO DO OUR PART,
BUT WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY, TOO.
BUT FOCUS ON PERSONAL INNOVATION
AND LOOK AT YOUR CAREER FOCUS,
YOUR CAPABILITY, SKILLS,
RELATIONSHIPS,
AND THEN WHAT ARE THE CURRENT
AND EMERGING-EMERGING NEEDS
THAT HAVE CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR YOU TO STAND OUT,
EXCEL, OR GROW.
NEXT, PLEASE.
FIRST OF ALL, KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
IS THIS AN AMAZING LADY
RIGHT HERE, OKAY?
BUT ACKNOWLEDGE
YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.
RECOGNIZE YOUR STRENGTHS.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY I HAD
A GOOD BAPTIST UPBRINGING,
AND-AND WAS A BROWNIE,
AND A GIRL SCOUT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW,
YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT YOURSELF
AND HOW WONDERFUL YOU ARE
AND THAT YOU DID GOOD THINGS.
BUT IN THE REAL WORLD
OF WORK TODAY,
IF YOU WANT TO BE PROMOTED
AND YOU WANT TO ADVANCE,
YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS,
RECOGNIZE YOUR STRENGTHS
AND KNOW YOUR VALUE.
AND THAT'S NOT
AN ARROGANT THING.
BUT KNOW THE VALUE
THAT YOU BRING.
AND THEN IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES
FOR DEVELOPMENT
BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS
GOING TO BE DEVELOPING.
AND THEN FIND A MENTOR.
AND GO-- NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
GO FOR IT.
THEN BUILD AND UTILIZE
YOUR NETWORK.
YOUR PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS.
NASA ORGANIZATIONS,
AFFILIATE GROUPS,
JOIN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
WITHIN YOUR REGIONAL, YOUR LOCAL
AND NATIONAL COMMUNITY.
OBVIOUSLY,
WHEN WE WERE PRE-COVID
WE COULD GO TO MEETINGS
AND HAVE A LOT MORE INTERACTION.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING
GOOD ABOUT COVID,
IT'S ALLOWED US TO CONNECT
WITH PEOPLE MUCH MORE QUICKLY
VIA ZOOM, TEAMS, ONLINE.
SO, VIRTUAL NETWORKS
AND SOCIAL NETWORKS.
SO, PLEASE MAKE SURE
THAT YOU ARE USING YOUR NETWORKS
AND DEVELOPING NEW NETWORKS.
I HAD A NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT
A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE WE STUDIED
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN
IN THE ACADEMY WHO WERE SENIOR--
MORE SENIOR ASSOCIATE
AND FULL PROFESSORS
AND HOW THEY MANAGED
TO GET TO THAT LEVEL,
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC
IS LESS THAN 1/2 OF 1%
ENGINEERING FULL PROFESSORS
ARE BLACK WOMEN.
AND SO, HOW DID THEY MANAGE
TO SURVIVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT?
AND IT WAS-- THE COMMON THEME
THAT CAME THROUGH
WAS NETWORKING.
CONSISTENT NETWORKS THAT
WERE BUILT TO STRENGTHEN THEM,
TO KEEP THEM GOING,
TO OPEN DOORS FOR THEM
WHERE THEY HAD ADVOCATES
AND MENTORS AND SPONSORS.
SO, NETWORKING IS
SO POWERFUL, SO POWERFUL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THEN SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS!
ONE MORE-- HIT IT AGAIN,
ONE MORE, PLEASE.
SO, SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.
NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS IS FUNNY.
REMEMBER, I TOLD YOU I'M NOT--
I DON'T REALLY LIKE
TO TALK A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
WHAT I'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO.
I MEAN, BUT YOU DON'T NEED
TO BE STANDING IN LINE
AT WALMART AND LOOKING BACK
TO TELL A PERSON,
YOU KNOW, I AM PRETTY SPECIAL.
THAT'S NOT WHAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT.
BUT SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP,
WITH YOUR PEERS,
AND WITH YOUNG FOLKS.
IT CAN INSPIRE
AND ENCOURAGE THEM.
AND EACH ACHIEVEMENT
SHOULD LAUNCH YOU
INTO A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO LOOK FOR
AND SAY I WANT
NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND THIS-- DON'T DARE BE
AFRAID TO FAIL.
HIT IT ONE MORE TIME.
GUESS WHAT?
FAILURE IS A NECESSARY STEP
IN THE PATH TO--
PROCESS ONE MORE.
OUR PROFESSIONAL ACTIONS
SHOULD SHOW THAT
WE BELIEVE IN OUR GOALS
AND THE GOALS THAT WE SET.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU'RE GOING--
WE'RE ALL GOING TO FAIL.
BUT SUCCESS TAKES WORK.
BUT YOU CAN GET THERE.
I PROMISE YOU YOU CAN.
I'VE OFTEN SAID
I'VE NEVER SEEN A PERSON
THAT CONSISTENTLY TRIED,
CONSISTENTLY EXERCISED
RESILIENCE,
AND DIDN'T-- AND THEY DIDN'T
EVENTUALLY ACHIEVE THE GOAL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN BELIEVE
AGAINST ALL NEGATIVE ODDS.
AND THEN GO TO WORK
TO BEAT THOSE ODDS.
BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING
EVERY DAY.
SO, DESPITE CHALLENGES, FOLKS,
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT.
WE HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES
WHEN WE COME TOGETHER
AND WHEN WE DEVELOP OURSELVES
AND RECOGNIZE
THAT WE DO BRING VALUE,
THERE IS VERY LITTLE
THAT WE CAN'T DO TOGETHER.
NEXT, PLEASE.
SO, I WANT TO SHARE
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
MY EXPERIENCES
AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, AN EDUCATOR,
AN ENGINEER, AND A MOM.
SO, NEXT PLEASE.
SO, SOMETIMES
WHEN PEOPLE HEAR ME TALKING,
AND I'VE GOT ON MY RED
AND MY PEARLS,
AND I'M ALL FIRED UP,
THEY THINK THAT MAYBE
I WAS ALWAYS THIS CONFIDENT
AND HAD IT ALWAYS GOING ON.
NO, HONEY, NO.
NO. NO.
I HAD MANY CHALLENGES.
I WAS A FIRST-GENERATION
COLLEGE GRADUATE.
I HAD FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.
I WAS A SINGLE MOM.
I BECAME A MOM
WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER
AND TOOK MY DAUGHTER
TO COLLEGE WITH ME.
DEALING WITH
TREMENDOUS SELF-DOUBT.
HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SET
AND ACCOMPLISH GOALS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND AGAIN, MY PATH
HAD MANY HURDLES.
AND AS I SAID,
I WAS A FIRST-GENERATION
COLLEGE GRADUATE,
SO MY FATHER WAS
A DRILL SERGEANT
AND WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL,
SUPPORTIVE FATHER.
BUT NEITHER HE NOR MY MOM
HAD GONE TO COLLEGE.
SO, THEY REALLY COULDN'T
TELL ME WHAT IT TOOK
TO GET THROUGH COLLEGE.
NOW, MY DAD WANTED
TO GO TO COLLEGE.
HE AND MY GRANDMOTHER WENT DOWN
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
WHEN HE WAS JUST GETTING OUT
OF HIGH SCHOOL
AND SAT TO TRY
TO TALK TO SOMEONE
AND LET HIM GET ENROLLED.
AND NO ONE WOULD TALK TO HIM.
SO, YOU CAN IMAGINE
WHEN HIS DAUGHTER,
WHEN I WENT TO O.U.
AND GRADUATED
AND GOT MY PhD IN ENGINEERING,
IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL
EXPERIENCE FOR MY DAD.
OOH, IT'S MAKING ME
FEEL EMOTIONAL
JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.
SO, I HAD TO HAVE MENTORS
AND OTHER FOLKS THAT HELPED ME
AND SUPPORTED ME.
BUT THEN EVEN WHEN
I GOT IN MY CAREER,
THERE WERE STILL THINGS
THAT I TRIED
AND WASN'T SUCCESSFUL AT.
I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT.
I TOLD YOU NASA HAS
A VERY SPECIAL PLACE
IN MY HEART.
SO, IN 1995, I THINK IT WAS,
1994 OR 1995,
I APPLIED FOR
THE ASTRONAUT PROGRAM
AND WAS A FINALIST.
AND I WAS SO EXCITED,
AND EVERYBODY IN MY UNIVERSITY
TOLD ME OH, PAMELA,
YOU'RE A SHOO-IN, YOU KNOW
THEY'RE GOING TO PICK YOU.
AND THEY DID A STORY
IN THE PAPER,
AND I WAS ALL FIRED UP,
AND THEN I DIDN'T GET PICKED.
AND I WAS SO SAD.
I WAS DEVASTATED.
AND THEN-- THERE WAS
ANOTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN
IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA
WHO I KNEW,
AND SHE DID GET PICKED.
AND I SAID YOU'RE GOING
TO PICK UP THE PHONE,
AND YOU'RE GOING TO CALL,
AND YOU'RE GOING
TO CONGRATULATE JOAN, OKAY?
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I DID.
AND SO, I'VE EXPERIENCED
A LOT OF FAILURE IN-IN MY LIFE.
ISOLATION.
LACK OF SUPPORT
AS AN ENGINEER AND A PROFESSOR.
AS WONDERFUL AND FRIENDLY
AS I THINK I AM,
EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANT
TO SUPPORT ME.
EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANT
TO SEE ME GROW.
AND SO, AND MANY TIMES
I FELT ISOLATED IN ENVIRONMENTS,
BEING THE ONLY PERSON OF COLOR
OR OFTENTIMES
THE ONLY WOMAN OR BOTH.
AND SO, THERE HAVE BEEN
MANY CHALLENGES.
AND I AM-- WHEN I TELL YOU,
FOLKS, YOU CAN GET THROUGH IT.
I HAVE A NETWORK.
IF IT'S ROUGH,
I CAN PICK UP A PHONE ANYTIME
AND TALK TO SOMEBODY
AND GET THAT SUPPORT
TO HELP ME FIGURE OUT A PROBLEM.
I THINK I'M PRETTY SHARP
MOST DAYS,
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIGURE OUT.
AND I WILL CALL MY NETWORK,
AND WE'LL GET TOGETHER TO TRY
TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, SPEAKING OF THAT,
DIFFERENCE MAKERS IN MY LIFE--
MY FAMILY,
THAT'S MY BEAUTIFUL
FAMILY THERE, MY HUSBAND.
I'M A WOMAN OF FAITH,
BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED
IN OUTREACH PROGRAMS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW
THE OTHER DIFFERENCE MAKERS
IN MY LIFE.
JUST, YEAH, KEEP GOING
UNTIL IT'S ALL POPULATED.
SO, REMEMBER I TOLD YOU I WAS
A BROWNIE, A GIRL SCOUT?
THERE WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL
BIOLOGY TEACHER
WHO BELIEVED SO MUCH IN ME.
JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC,
I REMEMBER AS A YOUNG WOMAN
WHEN I WAS A SINGLE MOM,
THERE'S DR. HOWARD ADAMS,
THE FIRST BLACK MAN
I'D EVER SEEN WITH A PhD
AND HE TOLD ME,
YOU CAN GET A PhD, TOO.
AND I SAID,
DO YOU REALLY MEAN ME?
HE SAID, YES, YOU CAN.
MINORITY ENGINEERING PROGRAM
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA.
TREMENDOUSLY
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
MY ST. JAMES BIBLE STUDY
THAT I TAUGHT.
DR. JERRY PURSEWELL,
MY MENTOR WHO GAVE ME
AN OPPORTUNITY
AS AN UNDERGRADUATE
TO WORK ON HIS RESEARCH.
AND THAT'S WHAT GOT ME FIRED UP
ABOUT GRADUATE SCHOOL.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND SO, I'VE HAD SO MANY--
SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE
THAT HAVE SUPPORTED ME.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND DR. BOB FOOTE.
I REMEMBER DR. FOOTE WHO I WAS--
AGAIN, REMEMBER I TOLD YOU
I TOOK MY DAUGHTER
TO COLLEGE WITH ME.
AND I REMEMBER ONE DAY
WE HAD AN 8:30 CLASS,
AND I WOULD BE
REALLY TRYING TO GET THERE.
AND THERE'S DR. MADERO,
MY PhD ADVISOR.
BUT I REMEMBER DR. FOOTE
SAID TO THE CLASS,
SOMEONE CAME IN LATE.
AND HE SAID NO ONE SHOULD BE
COMING INTO THIS CLASS LATE
OTHER THAN PAMELA MCCAULEY.
AND I WAS LIKE, WOW.
BUT HE SAID,
AND SHE WAS ON TIME.
HE SAID SHE HAS TO
GET HER DAUGHTER UP,
GET HER DRESSED,
AND GET HER TO SCHOOL,
AND STILL GETS HERE ON TIME.
SO, NOBODY ELSE SHOULD BE LATE!
AND I THOUGHT, WOW!
IT MEANT SO MUCH TO ME
THAT HE RECOGNIZED THE EFFORT
I WAS GOING THROUGH
AND THE WORK I WAS PUTTING IN.
SO, DON'T EVER MISS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A WORD
OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SOMEONE,
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
HOW MUCH YOU CAN MEAN TO THEM.
THAT WAS OVER 30 YEARS AGO,
AND I STILL REMEMBER IT,
AND IT STILL GIVES ME CHILLS.
AND I STILL LOVE DR. FOOTE.
SO TODAY, HERE I AM,
AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS.
ENGINEER, RESEARCHER,
EXPERT WITNESS.
SO, YOU HEARD ANGELA SHARE
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND
FROM BIOMECHANICS TO ERGONOMICS.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE MILITARY.
I'VE WORKED WITH NASA
ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.
AND THESE ARE JUST
SOME IMAGES OF MINE.
I'VE ALSO OWNED
AN ENTREPRENEUR--
OWNED A BUSINESS,
BEEN AN ENTREPRENEUR
FOR OVER 20 YEARS,
OWNING AN ENGINEERING FIRM.
NEXT SLID, PLEASE.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
MORE ON THIS.
SO, MY HEART IS IN EDUCATION.
I LOVE WORKING WITH STUDENTS.
I LOVE HELPING THEM
ACHIEVE THEIR VISION
AND SEE THE GREATEST THINGS
THAT THEY HOPE FOR COME TO PASS.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND MAKING IT REAL
FOR MY STUDENTS.
I JUST DID A-- WELL, NOT JUST.
TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO,
WE DID A PROJECT FOR
NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THEY ACTUALLY CAME TO ME
WHEN I WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
AND ASKED ME TO--
IF I COULD APPLY
HUMAN-CENTRIC APPROACH
TO REDESIGNING THE FIRING ROOM
AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
AND ALSO TO DESIGN A CONSOLE,
AN ERGONOMICALLY
CENTRIC CONSOLE.
AND SO, IT WAS A DELIGHT.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND THEN THE ERGONOMICS
OF EBOLA.
I REMEMBER--
YOU ALL REMEMBER THE 2016,
UM, EBOLA CRISIS.
AND I REMEMBER
WHEN I WAS WATCHING TV
AND SEEING-- AND, BOY,
HAVE WE SEEN THIS TODAY,
WHEN PEOPLE GO TO--
HEALTHCARE WORKERS
GO TO WORK AND GET SICK,
THAT IS AN OCCUPATIONAL
ERGONOMICS ISSUE.
MY FRIENDS WERE LIKE, WELL,
NO, I THOUGH ERGONOMICS
WAS ABOUT KEYBOARDS
AND A MOUSE.
AND YES, IT IS.
BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT ANYTHING
THAT INVOLVES PEOPLE
IN THE WORKPLACE.
SO, WHEN THIS STARTED HAPPENING,
I STARTED-- WENT OUT
AND STARTED DOING LECTURES
ABOUT THE ERGONOMICS OF EBOLA
AND HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE--
HEALTHCARE WORKERS SAFE.
AND EVENTUALLY WAS INVITED
TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT
AND I SPENT A YEAR THERE
AS A JEFFERSON SCIENCE FELLOW.
SO, BY THAT TIME,
THE EBOLA CRISIS
HAD PRETTY MUCH DIED DOWN,
BUT THE AIDS CRISIS, OF COURSE
IT'S MUCH BETTER NOW,
BUT THE PRESIDENT'S
EMERGENCY PROGRAM
FOR AIDS RELIEF,
OR THE PEPFAR OFFICE,
INVITED ME TO WORK WITH THEM.
THEY SAID WE COULD
REALLY USE YOUR HELP
IN HELPING US UNDERSTAND
HOW TO INTRODUCE INNOVATION
INTO THE HIV AND AIDS
HEALTHCARE SERVICE
DELIVERY PROCESS
IN DEVELOPING NATIONS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU,
THAT WAS ONE
OF THE MOST REWARDING
EXPERIENCES OF MY CAREER
BECAUSE I SAW THERE
HOW EVEN SMALL
TECHNICAL CHANGES,
SMALL INNOVATIONS
CAN IMPACT THE LIVES
OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
SO AGAIN, IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR
TO BE WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT
FOR THAT YEAR.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, YOU SEE, I'M PROOF
THAT DIVERSITY WORKS.
AND FOLKS, DIVERSITY,
EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
MATTER MORE NOW THAN EVER.
AND YES, WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER.
SO, LET'S JUST DO THIS.
NEXT, PLEASE.
NASA, YOU GOT THIS.
MY MONEY'S ON YOU.
I KNOW YOU DO.
NEXT, PLEASE.
AND THIS IS MY SHAMELESS STEAL
OF "HIDDEN FIGURES,"
OF A MOVIE THAT I'VE SEEN
ABOUT EIGHT TIMES
AND LOVE DEEPLY.
SO, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
NEXT, PLEASE.
LET'S CONNECT AND I WOULD LOVE
TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU HAVE.
>> THANK YOU
AND GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CAMILLE WILLIAMS
AND I AM A CONTRACTOR HERE
AT MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.
AND I ALSO VOLUNTEER
WITH THE ADVISORY WORKING GROUP
FOR THE--
WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
ADVISORY WORKING GROUP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH,
DR. MCCAULEY, FOR SHARING
YOUR INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES
AND YOUR WISDOM WITH US TODAY.
YOUR STORY REALLY
RESONATED WITH ME,
AND I'M SURE IT DID
WITH THE AUDIENCE, AS WELL.
UM, I THINK WE WOULD LIKE
TO GET IN A COUPLE
OF QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME
WE HAVE FOR--
FOR A FEW QUESTIONS,
BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET
THE CONVERSATION GOING.
AND IF THERE IS A QUESTION
IN THE CHAT
FROM ANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS,
WE'LL TRY TO GO AHEAD
AND GET JUST A COUPLE IN.
SO, DR. MCCAULEY,
YOU'RE HERE BEFORE US TODAY
HAVING ACCOMPLISHED
SO MANY THINGS.
HOW HAVE YOU DEALT WITH THE NOs
THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE
AND YOUR CAREER?
YOU'VE TALKED-- YOU TALKED
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING
CHOSEN AS AN ASTRONAUT,
BUT WHAT-- HOW ARE SOME
OF THE WAYS THAT YOU DEALT WITH
JUST SOME OF THE SMALL NOs
AND MAYBE SOME OF
THE SMALL REJECTIONS
ALONG YOUR-ALONG YOUR PATH?
>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF NOs
IN MY LIFE.
A LOT-- WHAT I WILL TRY TO DO
IS TO FIGURE OUT
WHY I GOT THE NO, OKAY?
WAS IT SOMETHING THAT I--
DID I NOT PRESENT MY CASE
WELL ENOUGH?
WAS THERE A REASON
THAT THE OPPORTUNITY
WASN'T GIVEN TO ME?
WAS THERE BIAS INVOLVED?
BUT NO REALLY
NEVER MEANS NO TO ME
IF IT'S SOMETHING
THAT I REALLY WANT.
SO-- BUT I DO TRY TO UNDERSTAND
THE WHY BEHIND THE NO.
AND THEN I WILL SPEAK
TO INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THE NO.
AND TO SAY DID YOU
REALLY MEAN TO SAY NO?
DID YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT I WAS SAYING?
PERHAPS I DIDN'T DO
AS GOOD OF A JOB
AS I COULD HAVE IN EXPLAINING
WHAT I'M ASKING FOR HERE.
AND SO, I WOULD SAY, BEING--
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
THEN BEING RESILIENT
AND NOT GIVING UP,
BECAUSE I REALLY DO BELIEVE
IF SOMETHING IS FOR ME THAT
I'M GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, SO, WE DO HAVE A QUESTION
HERE FROM ELAINE DUNCAN.
AND SHE IS ASKING IF YOU CAN
EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A MENTOR,
SPONSOR, AND ADVOCATE
FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW
THE DIFFERENCES OF THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
GREAT QUESTION.
A MENTOR IS SOMEONE
WHO YOU WILL SPEND TIME WITH
WHO YOU MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW,
ONCE-A-MONTH MEETINGS WITH
OR EVERY OTHER WEEK
OR EVEN QUARTERLY.
NOW, AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE
I HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS
WITH MY MENTORS.
BUT THAT PERSON IS--
IS VERY FAMILIAR
WITH YOUR CAREER GOALS
AND WHAT YOU WANT,
WHERE YOU WANT TO GO,
AND WHERE YOU ARE TODAY,
AND HELPS YOU DEVELOP
A PATH TO GET THERE.
SO, THAT'S A MENTOR.
A SPONSOR IS SOMEONE
WHO WILL SEE AN OPPORTUNITY
AND THEY TEND TO BE
A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU
THAN AN ADVOCATE.
BUT A SPONSOR IS SOMEONE
WHO MAY KNOW YOU,
MAYBE SOME LEADER AT THE CENTER
HAS SEEN YOU WORK ON A PROJECT,
AND THEY NOW SEE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY COMING.
AND SO, THEY WILL ESSENTIALLY
PUT THEIR CREDIBILITY
ON THE LINE
TO SPONSOR YOU
INTO ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
AND AN ADVOCATE CAN BE
SOMEONE YOU'VE NEVER MET.
I'VE HAD ADVOCATES--
I GAVE A SPEECH ONE TIME.
THE REASON I ENDED UP AT M.I.T.,
I GAVE A SPEECH ONE TIME
IN CONNECTICUT.
AND THERE WAS SOMEONE THERE
IN THE AUDIENCE THAT TOLD
THE PEOPLE AT M.I.T. ABOUT ME,
AND SHE SAID YOU ALL NEED
TO BRING HER IN
AS A VISITING FACULTY MEMBER,
IF SHE'LL COME,
BECAUSE SHE CAN DO THIS
AND SUPPORT YOUR RESEARCH
IN THIS WAY.
I'D NEVER EVEN MET HER!
SO, THAT WAS AN ADVOCATE.
SO, SOMEONE WHO CAN ADVOCATE
ON YOUR BEHALF.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS
THE QUESTION-- OKAY.
>> I THINK IT ANSWERED IT
VERY WELL.
I THINK WE-- I THINK
THERE IS ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, WHAT IS YOUR
DAILY ROUTINE LIKE?
AND I THINK SOMEONE ASKED
ABOUT YOUR EXERCISE REGIMEN.
I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT
YOU'VE RUN A COUPLE OF--
A FEW MARATHONS.
>> I DID.
BUT THAT WAS THEN.
THIS IS NOW.
I'M-I'M A PELOTON GIRL TODAY.
OKAY?
YEAH, BUT I-I STILL
LIKE RUNNING.
I DO.
I DON'T DO IT AS MUCH
BECAUSE IT'S JUST
NOT AS CONVENIENT.
BUT I LOVE THE EXERCISE BIKE,
THE ELLIPTICAL.
AND SO, THAT'S
MY EXERCISE ROUTINE.
MY DAY, WHOA!
I MEAN, WHERE DO I START?
IT'S SO FUNNY, I AM VERY MUCH
A HOME PERSON AND FAMILY PERSON.
MY DAUGHTER IS FLYING IN TODAY.
SO, OF COURSE, WHEN MY CHILD
AND HER HUSBAND LAND,
I HAVE TO HAVE FOOD READY.
SO, I GOT UP AT 6 O'CLOCK
THIS MORNING, FIXED QUICHE,
LEMON PEPPER FISH AND SHRIMP,
SALAD, TOOK SOME GREENS
OUT OF THE FREEZER,
PUT SOME RIBS IN THE OVEN,
AND SO, EVERYTHING WILL BE READY
WHEN THEY GET HERE
THIS AFTERNOON.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
I'M AN ASSOCIATE DEAN,
SO I ACTUALLY HAD SEVERAL THINGS
I HAD TO DO FOR MY UNIVERSITY
THIS MORNING.
AND THEN WAS DELIGHTED
TO COME HERE
AND SPEND TIME WITH YOU ALL.
>> AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR TAKING THE TIME
OUT OF YOUR VERY BUSY SCHEDULE.
UM, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION
AND THIS IS--
YOU MENTIONED YOUR FAMILY
AND YOUR DAUGHTER SO MUCH
AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE BEEN
JUST THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE
FOR YOUR DAUGHTER.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN SOME WAYS
THAT YOU HAVE
IMPACTED YOUR DAUGHTER
OR IF SHE HAS GIVEN YOU
ANY FEEDBACK
ON YOUR IMPACT ON HER LIFE?
>> SHE IS SUCH A BLESSING.
AND AGAIN, TO BE SO YOUNG
AND HAVE HER,
AND MY PARENTS WERE WONDERFUL
AND SUPPORTIVE
AND HELPED ME CARE FOR HER
WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL,
ALTHOUGH SHE-- MY DAUGHTER
ALWAYS LIVED WITH ME,
SHE WOULD GO TO GRANDMA
AND GRANDPA ON THE WEEKENDS
BECAUSE I WAS WORKING
LIKE TWO OR THREE JOBS.
BUT SHE HAS SAID
THAT IT HAS BEEN
SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO HER
TO HAVE ME FOR HER MOTHER.
NOW, SHE DID LOSE HER MIND
WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER,
JUST LIKE SOME OTHER PEOPLE--
SOME OTHER KIDS.
SO, FROM ABOUT 14 TO 21,
I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT WAS.
THAT WAS NOT
MY SWEET LITTLE ANNETTE.
BUT SHE CAME BACK
AND SHE'S SO CUTE.
SHE EVEN SAYS TODAY, MOM,
I'M SO SORRY FOR THOSE YEARS
WHEN I STRESSED YOU.
SO, SHE IS AN ENTREPRENEUR,
SHE IS FINISHING
HER MBA THIS YEAR
AND STARTING HER PhD
IN THE FALL.
AND SO, SHE HAS MADE ME
VERY, VERY PROUD
AND SHE SAID THAT MY RESILIENCE,
SHE'S JUST LIKE, MOM,
YOU JUST-- YOU DON'T--
YOU DON'T QUIT.
SO, SHE SAID
IT'S BEEN A REAL SOURCE
OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO HER.
>> THAT'S AWESOME.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT
THAT JUST MAKES YOUR JOURNEY
JUST ALL THAT MORE COMPLETE.
>> IT CERTAINLY DOES.
IT CERTAINLY DOES.
AND I'M VERY BLESSED TO HAVE
A WONDERFUL, SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND
AND MY WONDERFUL PARENTS
WHO HOPEFULLY--
THEY GET THEIR VACCINATION
AND I GET MINE.
I'LL GET TO SEE THEM.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM
IN ALMOST A YEAR, AS MANY PEOPLE
ARE IN THAT SAME SITUATION.
SO, I FEEL VERY, VERY FORTUNATE
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
TO ME TO GIVE BACK.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU AGAIN, DR. MCCAULEY,
FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY,
YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE,
AND JUST BEING A REPRESEN--
THE REPRESENTATION
THAT'S NEEDED IN THE STEM FIELD.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE MESSAGE
THAT YOU SHARED WITH US TODAY
AND YOUR WISDOM.
>> WOW!
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
THIS WAS A GREAT PROGRAM.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THANK YOU, ANDREA BROWN,
AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL
DAUGHTER, JAYA.
UH, THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY
LOVELY OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
AND ALSO, ANDREA,
FOR YOUR, UM, SINGING
OF THE "LIFT EVERY VOICE".
BUT WE'RE NOT FINISHED YET.
SO, HOLD ON 'TIL THE END
FOR A SPECIAL TREAT.
SO, GOOD MORNING.
FOR THOSE OF YOU
WHO I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE
TO MEET, I AM CAROLYN MAXBY,
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY
AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
TO DR. MCCAULEY FOR YOUR
WONDERFUL WORDS OF WISDOM.
DIVERSITY IS NOT A GOOD IDEA;
IT IS A SMART IDEA.
AND TO ALL THE PARTICIPANT
OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE
OF MARSHALL LEADERS
LIKE JODY SINGER
AND STEVE MILEY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
DURING THE SLIDE SHOW,
YOU HEARD THE AMAZING VOCALS
OF ANGELA LOVELADY,
WHO SANG AN ORIGINAL SONG
WRITTEN BY AMANDA OTINO
AND DENISE SMITTERS AND
PRODUCED BY MARIO, UH, MAITLAND,
THE, UH, OWNER OF A LOCAL
BLACK-OWNED SCHOOL OF ARTS,
THE MAITLAND CONSERVATORY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE OF OHR,
OSAC, AND LEGAL
FOR ALWAYS PARTNERING WITH US
ON OUR SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAMS
AND INITIATIVES.
IT TRULY TAKES A TEAM.
THANK YOU TO OUR AFRICAN
AMERICAN ADVISORY WORKING GROUP
FOR PLANNING THIS MONTH'S
BLACK HISTORY MONTH'S EVENTS.
FINALLY, THANK YOU,
AMANDA OTINO,
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND GUIDANCE.
JOB WELL DONE.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR NEW MEMBERS AND IDEAS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PART
OF OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN
ADVISORY WORKING GROUP,
PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA OTINO
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ON HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT
OUR ODEO TADDY BLOG THIS MONTH
AND EVERY MONTH
TO FOLLOW ALONG
AND PARTICIPATE IN
ALL ODEO'S ACTIVITIES.
IF WE WERE IN PERSON,
WE WOULD CONCLUDE OUR PROGRAM
WITH AN ETHNIC FOOD SAMPLING
TO FURTHER CELEBRATE
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY.
UNFORTUNATELY,
WE CAN'T SHARE FOOD TOGETHER
DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
BUT WE DID ASK A FEW
OF OUR NASA EMPLOYEES,
AS WELL AS A LOCAL CHEF TO SHARE
SOME OF THEIR FAVORITE
ETHNIC RECIPES WITH US.
SO, IN CONCLUSION,
I PRESENT TO YOU
THE FINAL PART OF OUR PROGRAM,
THE TREAT.
DELIGHTFUL RECIPES
YOU CAN TRY AT HOME.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
FOR JOINING TODAY,
AND HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS NICK BENJAMIN,
AND I'M A PAYLOAD
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
OUT OF THE OFFICE OF HUMAN
EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS
HERE AT MARSHALL
SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.
ONE THING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME IS THAT
I REALLY LIKE TO COOK.
WHETHER IT'S ON THE GRILL
OR IN THE KITCHEN,
I LIKE TO TAKE DIFFERENT RECIPES
THAT I'VE TAKEN FROM MY PARENTS
AND-AND THEIR PARENTS
AND TRY TO PUT MY OWN
LITTLE SPIN ON IT.
UM, I COME FROM
A-A GREAT LINE OF COOKS.
BOTH OF MY GRANDMOTHERS
WERE GREAT COOKS,
COMING FROM SOUTH ALABAMA.
MY PARENTS ARE-ARE
PRETTY GOOD COOKS--
THEY'RE GREAT COOKS, I WILL SAY.
AND I CONSIDER MYSELF DECENT.
ALL RIGHT?
SO, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU
A COUPLE OF MY RECIPES
THAT ARE MY GO-TO'S
THAT I'VE TAKEN FROM THEM, UM,
THAT I COOK FROM TIME TO TIME,
WHETHER IT'S FOR, UH, HOLIDAYS
OR JUST COOKING AROUND THE HOUSE
IF I GET THE-THE NOTION TO.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT,
UH, NICE LITTLE
SKILLET CORNBREAD,
SOME NICE POTATO SALAD,
AND A GOOD OLD BATCH
OF COLLARD GREENS.
YOU CAN'T GO WRONG
WITH ANY OF THOSE.
SO, LET'S GET TO IT.
[ MUSIC ]
>> HI!
MY NAME IS NICOLA DUNCAN,
AND TODAY I AM COOKING
THE ETHNIC FOOD.
UM, I'M FROM JAMAICA,
SO I DECIDED TO COOK
CURRY CHICKEN TO--
FOR TODAY'S MEAL.
I AM GOING TO, UH, SHOW YOU ALL
WHAT I USE
AND ALL OF MY INGREDIENTS.
I'VE ALREADY PREPARED THIS
TO SAVE ON TIME.
UM, FOR MY CURRY CHICKEN,
IT'S BEEN MARINATING OVERNIGHT
SEASONED, BUT I USE, UH,
CURRY POWDER, SEA SALT,
MRS. DASH ORIGINAL,
ONION POWDER, LEMON PEPPER.
I HAVE ONIONS,
BELL PEPPER, TOMATOES,
SCALLION, HOT PEPPER,
AND GARLIC AND SOME THYME.
AND BEFORE I, UH,
SEASON ALL MY CHICKEN,
UH, WHEN I CLEAN IT,
WASH IT OFF
AND I CUT UP A LEMON,
AND SQUEEZE ALL THE LEMON JUICE
AND RINSE MY CHICKEN WITH IT.
IT KIND OF TAKES THE RAWNESS
AWAY FROM THE CHICKEN.
UM, I'VE-- GO AHEAD
AND I'M GOING TO START.
AND I USE OLIVE OIL
TO START COOKING.
SO, I S-- KIND OF GET--
TRY TO GET THE POTATOES
SMUSHED DOWN
TO THE BOTTOM A LITTLE BIT.
AND...
THEN I'LL ADD MY WATER.
I HAVE ABOUT TWO CUPS
OF WATER HERE.
AND JUST KIND OF MIX THAT IN.
AND THAT'LL HELP THE POTATOES
COOK DOWN AS WELL
AS THE CARROTS.
[ BOILING ]
AND WHAT I DID
WAS TAKE THE GRAVY,
SPOON IT OVER THE RICE.
AND I KINDA-- I LOVE
TO EAT TOMATOES WITH IT.
THIS IS OUR CURRY DI-DISH.
IT'S FINISHED AND, UM...
THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING.
>> MY NAME IS CHEF ADERA MASON.
I AM OWNER OF THE VEGGIE
IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.
THE VEGGIE SERVES FAMILIAR
VEGAN COMFORT FOOD
APPEALING TO NON-VEGAN CONSUMERS
THROUGH INTRODUCING THEM
TO PLANT-BASED EATING
FOR FOODS THEY'RE ALREADY
FAMILIAR WITH AND GIVING
VARIETY TO PLANT-BASED CONSUMERS
THAT THEY CAN'T GET
ANYWHERE ELSE IN
THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.
SO, LET'S JUMP
INTO TODAY'S RECIPE.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU
A QUICK WAY
TO MAKE VEGAN CORNBREAD.
THIS RECIPE IS GREAT
BECAUSE IT'S A STAPLE IN
PRETTY MUCH ANY SOUTHERN HOME.
AND YOU CAN MAKE IT VEGAN
REALLY EASILY.
EVERYTHING JUST GOES
INTO ONE BOWL AND THEN WE BAKE.
SO, I'VE ALREADY
PRESET MY OVEN TO 400.
SO, THAT'S NICE AND HOT.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO COMBINE
ALL OF MY INGREDIENTS
INTO ONE BOWL.
SO, HERE WE GO.
I'VE GOT TWO CUPS
OF YELLOW CORNMEAL.
I'VE GOT ONE CUP OF FLOUR.
I'VE ALSO ADDED TO THAT
THREE TEASPOONS
OF BAKING POWDER.
I'VE ADDED ABOUT
THREE-EIGHTHS OF A CUP OF SUGAR
AND THREE-FOURTHS
OF A TEASPOON OF SALT.
I'M GOING TO WHISK THAT TOGETHER
TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING
GETS COMBINED REALLY NICELY,
AND THEN I'M GOING TO ADD
THAT TO THE SAME BOWL.
I'VE GOT HERE A CUP--
ABOUT A CUP AND A-AND A FOURTH
OF PLANT-BASED MILK.
THIS IS A COCONUT MILK.
IT'S UNSWEETENED.
NO TASTE, UM, OF COCONUT,
SO IT'S JUST A GREAT SUBSTITUTE
FOR REGULAR DAIRY MILK.
POURING THAT INTO THE SAME BOWL.
I'M USING A SUBSTITUTE
TODAY FOR BUTTER,
SOMETHING YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH,
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER.
UM, BUT THERE'S A VEGAN VERSION.
SO, I'VE ALREADY ADDED
ABOUT THREE-FOURTHS OF A CUP
OF BUTTER TO THE BOWL, AS WELL.
AND THEN I'VE GOT
A VEGAN EGG SUBSTITUTE,
APPLESAUCE.
IT'S UNSWEETENED,
HAS A VERY LIGHT FLAVOR,
AND IT ACTS AS THE EGG
IN OUR CORNBREAD MIXTURE.
I'VE GOT ABOUT A HALF A CUP
OF APPLESAUCE.
THOSE LITTLE CUPS
THAT YOU FIND AT THE STORE,
UH, EACH ONE OF THOSE CUPS
EQUALS ABOUT TWO EGGS.
UH, WE NEED ONE EGG
FOR THIS RECIPE,
SO I'VE TAKEN HALF OF THAT CUP
AND ADD IT TO THE SAME BOWL.
SO, NOW WE'RE READY TO MIX.
I'M MIXING EVERYTHING UP
UNTIL THE MIXTURE
COMES TOGETHER.
EVERYTHING IS COMBINED NICELY.
IT'S-- CORNBREAD IS
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SMOOTH,
BUT YOU DO WANT TO MAKE SURE
ALL THE INGREDIENTS
ARE INCORPORATED REALLY WELL.
A WOODEN SPOON WORKS GREAT
SO THAT YOU CAN DIG
UNDER THE BOTTOM
AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU MIX UP
ALL THE DRY INGREDIENTS
INTO THE WET INGREDIENTS.
SO, I'VE GOT A MIXTURE
THAT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I'VE ALREADY BUTTERED A PAN,
AND I'M GOING TO POUR THIS
INTO THE PAN
AND PUT IT IN THE OVEN TO BAKE.
NOW, THE BEST CORNBREAD
IS MADE IN A CAST-IRON SKILLET,
BUT I'VE GOT A FRIEND
WHO'S UNDER THE WEATHER
THAT I'M DROPPING OFF
SOME EATS TO AT HER DOOR,
SO I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS
IN A DISPOSABLE PAN SO THAT
I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT WASHING DISHES,
AND NEITHER DOES SHE.
SO, LET'S SEE WHAT
THE FINISHED PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE.
AND HERE WE GO.
WE'VE GOT A NICE PAN
OF CORNBREAD.
YOU WANT YOUR CORNBREAD
TO KIND OF BREAK AND CRACK.
THAT LETS YOU KNOW
THAT IT'S DONE
AND ALSO THAT YOU'VE DONE,
UM, A REALLY GOOD JOB
MIXING TOGETHER
YOUR INGREDIENTS.
I'VE JUST SLATHERED IT
WITH SOME BUTTER
TO FINISH IT OFF
AND IT'S READY
TO BE PACKED UP AND GO.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED
THIS EASY RECIPE.
IT'S EASY TO MAKE YOUR CORNBREAD
AND SO MANY OTHER RECIPES
PLANT-BASE FRIENDLY.