Dr. Mae Jemison: The Woman Who Reached for the Stars

Celebrating Women's History Month with a badass a day.

When we first arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base back in 2012 we were greeted by a massive billboard featuring Dr. Mae Jemison. Before Hurricane Michael destroyed it (along with most of the base and our little town of Mexico Beach) that billboard served as my reminder that I am home after many a long trip. There was no way I was going to let this month get away from me without talking about her.

Dr. Jemison was born in 1956 in Decatur, Alabama, but grew up in Chicago. From a young age, she was fascinated by science and space. She loved Star Trek—not just for the adventure, but for the vision of a future where everyone, regardless of race or gender, could explore the cosmos.

Dr. Jemison didn’t just dream about space. She worked for it. She earned a degree in chemical engineering from Stanford and a medical degree from Cornell. She served as a Peace Corps doctor in Liberia and Sierra Leone, treating patients and developing healthcare systems. She was a woman of action, always moving forwa…