Our Math Stories
Representation Matters! Black Women and Girls in Math Ebony Vandross
BEFORE YOU READ: “Figures” has more than one meaning. It can mean “numbers,” and it can refer to people. As you read the article, think about how the movie “Hidden Figures” got its name.
48(67,21 What recent movie inspired the star of the movie, the First Lady of the United States, and regular people all over the country to buy out whole theaters so that children could attend? At a press conference before the release of Hidden ANSWER: Hidden Figures! Figures: Octavia Spencer, who portrays Dorothy Vaughan; Taraji P. Henson, who portrays Katherine $%R[2IÀFH+LW*RHV$JDLQVW6WHUHRW\SHV Johnson; and Janelle Monáe, who portrays Mary Jack- Hidden Figures is a major motion picture based on VRQ3KRWRFUHGLW 1$6$.LP6KLÁHWW the life and career of African-American mathema- tician Katherine Johnson. The movie was a box Win the Space Race.” The book, written by Margot RIÀFHKLWHDUQLQJD Lee Shetterly, brought national attention to the worldwide total of stories of these women and articulated their often ,QDQLQGXVWU\WKDW 2 over $235 million. overlooked legacy. RIWHQSURPRWHV Black people in par- Free Screenings for Families VWHUHRW\SHVRI ticular showed tre- EODFNSHRSOHDQGRI mendous enthusiasm The movie is so inspiring, especially to young for the movie. In an black girls! But what if they didn’t have the chance ZRPHQWKLVPRYLH industry that often to see it? Octavia Spencer, one of the stars of the ZDVGLIIHUHQW promotes stereotypes show, wondered the same thing. She decided to of black people and buy out several screens at Baldwin Hills theater of women, this movie in Crenshaw, California, for low-income families was different. It focused not only on Katherine to see the movie.3 She said, “My mom would not Johnson, who was a mathematician for NASA have been able to afford to take me and my sib- (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), lings. So, I’m honoring her and all single parents but also on the lives and work of fellow mathema- this #MLKweekend. Pass the word.”4 ticians Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, who ZHQWRQWREHWKHÀUVW$IULFDQ$PHULFDQIHPDOH Math Strategy: engineer at NASA.1 Remember that not all Hidden Figures is based on a book by the same problems have individual QDPH,WUHIHUVWRWKH´ÀJXUHVµLQ86VRFLHW\ZKR solutions. We all need to work are often marginalized or hidden from view. The to ensure all groups are subtitle of the book is “The American Dream and fully represented in all ÀHOGV the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped
24 The Change Agent — September 2018 — changeagent.nelrc.org Our Math Stories
Left to right: Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson worked as mathematicians and engineers for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Photos from Wikipedia.
Jantina Anderson of Greenwood, Indiana, those of color, to see this movie and know that not saw the movie with her two young daughters. She only can [they] touch the stars—they already are ZDVVRPRYHGE\WKHÀOPWKDWVKHUDLVHG$6,490 ones!9 (with an initial goal of $3,5005) to fund a screening of Hidden Figures for 100 girls.6 Anderson noted Using Film to Encourage Girls of Color that the movie “gives black girls an opportunity The passionate responses from so many people to see themselves as the main character, pursu- who believed that movies would have a positive LQJFDUHHUÀHOGVUHODWHGWRVFLHQFHDQGPDWKDQG effect on young contributing to one of the nation’s greatest accom- black women speak ,QDVWXG\WKH plishments at that time.” to the larger issue Michelle Obama’s White House screening of the relationship 86&HQVXV%XUHDX 7 of the movie inspired 13-year-old aspiring astro- between girls and FRQFOXGHGWKDW naut Taylor Richardson of Jacksonville, Florida, math/STEM. In a ZRPHQPDNHXSRQO\ so much that she raised $19,633 (of an initial goal 2013 study, the U.S. SHUFHQWRI67(0 of $2,600) for a viewing of the movie, as well as to Census Bureau con- purchase copies of the book for 100 girls because cluded that women ZRUNHUVGHVSLWH she “want[s] girls to know that, like boys, they make up only 26 PDNLQJXSQHDUO\ 8 too can excel in STEM with hard work.” (STEM percent of STEM KDOIRIWKHQDWLRQDO stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and workers despite Math.) After its success, Taylor took her campaign making up nearly ZRUNIRUFH to encourage young girls of color interested in the half of the national ÀHOGRIPDWKDQG67(0HYHQIXUWKHUZLWKWKHUH- workforce.10 A 2012 study by the Girl Scout Re- OHDVHRIVFLHQFHÀFWLRQHSLFA Wrinkle in Time, rais- search Institute concluded that “African American ing over $100,000 for a viewing and copies of the and Hispanic girls have high interest in STEM, book. Richardson stated, “I want girls, especially KLJKFRQÀGHQFHDQGDVWURQJZRUNHWKLFEXWKDYH
changeagent.nelrc.org — September 2018 — The Change Agent 25 Our Math Stories
fewer supports, less exposure, and lower academic What does the author mean by “representation achievement than Caucasian girls.”11 Knowing matters?” Do you agree or disagree? Explain. this, it’s easy to see why representation matters What is your experience with STEM (science, DQGZK\SHRSOHDUHXVLQJÀOPVOLNHHidden Figures technology, engineering, and math)? and A Wrinkle in Time as tools to encourage young ZRPHQRIFRORUWRSXUVXHÀHOGVWKH\PD\QRWKDYH Consider hosting a screening of Hidden Figures otherwise considered. at your school or in your community. Discuss the In 2015, when Katherine Johnson received ÀOPDQGFRQQHFWLRQVWR\RXRUSHRSOH\RXNQRZ the Medal of Freedom from the White House,12 it :KRDUHWKH´KLGGHQÀJXUHVµLQ\RXUFRPPXQLW\" was an important moment for the history of black What can you do to make them less hidden? ZRPHQDQGVROLGLÀHGWKHOHJDF\RI-RKQVRQ·V 6RXUFHV 1. :RUNHUVLQ6FLHQFH (QJLQHHULQJ 6 ( 2FFXSDWLRQV 3HUFHQWLQ6 (2FFXSDWLRQV3HUFHQWRI86SRSXODWLRQ 49% White men 31% 18% White women 31% 14% Asian men 3% 7% Asian women 3% 3% Black men 6% 2% Black women 7% 4% Hispanic men 9% 2% Hispanic women 8% 2% Other men & women 3% In 2015, some women and some minority groups were under-represented in science and engineering (S&E) occupations compared to the general U.S. population. Source: 26 The Change Agent — September 2018 — changeagent.nelrc.org