I was raised by my single mother and the seven sisters she had. My entire life I had always been surrounded by strong and independent women. Growing up, I was taught to learn how to not only become an independent and strong woman, like the rest of my family, but to also fight for what is right and for what you know you deserve based on your individuality.

Hidden Figures, a film that was released in 2016, pays tribute to the three intelligent African American Women, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and Katherine Johnson, who worked for NASA and that are most known for their story of being the underdogs behind the greatest operations in history when Astronaut John Glenn was launched into orbit on February 20, 1962.

They began their journey in West Computers, which was a segregated group of African Americans who worked for NASA to process aeronautic data during the Space Race era in the 1960s. Dorothy Vaughan who began working at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, in 1943, as a temporary war job which led her to work at NASA and eventually become the first African American female supervisor. Mary Jackson began working for NASA in 1951 when she joined the West Computers under the supervision of Dorothy Vaughan and later on earned an opportunity to pursue her passion in engineering. Katherine Johnson is the most recognized for her contributions with calculations for John Glenn's orbital mission.

Mary Jackson received an opportunity to pursue her career in engineering, while being mentored by Kazimierz Czarnecki, a polish aeronautics engineer, but in order for her to do so, Czarnecki suggested she join a training program. In order for her to do so, she had to join a segregated white high school to complete the advanced extension courses that are required to join the program. On the day she petitioned the court, she defended her case to Judge Mason, who was the first to join the armed forces, university, and the first state judge to be recommissioned by three Virginia governors, in his family.

Jackson used his history and accomplishments in order to convince Judge Mason to allow her to access the courses at Hampton High School by stating:

"No negro woman in the state of Virginia has ever attended an all white high school. It's unheard of. And before Alan Sheperd...no other American had ever touched space. And now he will forever be remembered...the first to touch the stars. And I, sir, I plan on being an engineer at NASA but I can't do that if I don't take them classes at that all white high school. And I can't change the color of my skin. So I have no choice but to be the first. Which I can't do without you, sir. Your Honor, out of all the cases you're going to hear today, which one is going to matter hundred years from now? Which one is going to make you first?"

(In this quote, it demonstrates how Mary Jackson used Judge Mason's background history to prove herself that she will be able to make an impact in history, like him.)

In the 1960s being a woman was hard but being a woman of color was even harder. And up until this day, it still is just as hard. Being a part of the minority community has made me realize that we have to work harder for what we want and in some cases we have to go through more obstacles than others. Society makes it harder for us to achieve what is being handed to some people; and the situation may be viewed as unfair but, reality check, it's in the world we live in today. Obstacles that we, as minorities, have to go through, are not only frustrating and unfair, but a blessing in disguise. It allows us to know what hard work is and gain knowledge and experience most will never have the opportunity to have.

This particular movie must be seen on the big screen and the different experience someone would have if they were to watch it on a big screen is the connection of being underestimated. Especially being a woman in the STEM field, a very high male dominated field, shows women in the same position as Mary Vaughan, Katherine Johnson and Mary Jackson, that it doesn't matter what gender or race you are. In order to become the first is to prove yourself and put in the hard work that most people don't. Those who will watch this movie on the big screen will have and feel that connection of being misjudged but still making it to the top and being reminded that those who are underestimated that they can do anything as long as they put their mind to it.