Source: Noam Galai / Getty
DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) –
Cuyahoga Community College and the NASA Glenn Research Center took 350 students from 14 local schools to see Hidden Figures on Friday.
The major motion picture tells the story of Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson — a team of African American women who worked as mathematicians at NASA. In the movie, Johnson’s talents help John Glenn make his successful orbit around the earth.
The story also highlights an issue that still exists today. Research points to a lack of women — especially women of color — working in science.
According to reports, within the technology workforce, 25 percent of Computer Science professionals are female, while just 4 percent of these professionals are African American or Latina (3 percent and 1 percent, respectively).
After the movie, students had the opportunity to have fun with science and technology with activities, plus they heard from experienced professionals like Dr. Christine Darden. Darden worked in the same department depicted in the movie, several years after the women featured in the film.
READ MORE: Cleveland19.com
Article Courtesy of WOIO Cleveland 19 News
Picture Courtesy of Noam Galai and Getty Images
