ST PAUL, Minn. — The quest to bring more persons of color into technology fields can't really be separated from the ongoing political struggles for equity in education.
That was one of the messages Dr. Mae Jemison, a former NASA astronaut, delivered Monday at Minnesota's official state celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Jemison, who became the first woman of color in space back in 1992, told the overflow crowd at the Ordway Center that King's iconic "I Have a Dream" speech was not just a piece of inspirational oration.
It was a bold call to action.
"This was revolutionary. This was not about dreaming," Jemison explained.
"This is was about becoming awake, about being woke, right? That’s what that was about! And to accomplish these dreams require us to be wide awake!"
This year's celebration focused on expanding access and interest in STEM -- Science Technology Engineering Math -- fields. Jemison said science is very hands-on, it's about doing and not just listening.
It's one of the reasons she urged people to push back against the idea that leaders can delay investments in education.
"People will say, ‘We don’t have enough money to put in schools right now, we have to build these sports centers or other things, we don’t have enough money, we’ll come back to schools later.' But here’s the thing: 8-year-olds can’t come back and do 8 years old again."
Jemison said the goal has to be more than just making the STEM field more representative of the nation's diverse population. She said society as a whole can benefit from boosting science literacy, so people can better understand the implications of the stories they're reading and watching.
The honor of introducing Jemison went to 11-year-old Peyton Vincent of Wayzata, who drew huge cheers from the audience when she declared, "I am your future!"
She said she was thrilled to meet one of her heroes and get to review many of Jemison's accomplishments in science, medicine and advocacy.
"I just really got fan girl over her and said, 'I love you so much'!" Vincent told KARE.
When Vincent isn't playing violin, or on the soccer field, she's competing with the Breck School's robotics team. The sixth grader just wrapped up a sectional competition where the robots had to push a button to launch a rocket.
She aspires to be a psychologist or a veterinarian and has simple advice for anyone interested in the science and technology.
"No matter how much you think you can or cannot do it, you’re right. If you think you really can do it, you’re gonna do great, amazing things."
Earlier Monday CNN anchor Don Lemon served as keynote speaker at the annual Martin Luther King Day celebration in Minneapolis.
Lemon said he and other journalists of color stand on the shoulders of the civil rights activists and trailblazers who came before them.
He also addressed how tough it is to me a journalist in the current political environment.