Determination
Are you determined today? Determination is considered a positive trait, especially in helping someone or achieving a goal. It can mean being unrelenting, focused, strong-willed, and tenacious. Being determined describes our people's struggle for our freedom and basic human rights, voting rights. Having the courage or strength to be determined to see a desired outcome requires more than wishful thinking but willpower, self-discipline, being a visionary, and yes determination.
In addition to our people showing determination, women have shown determination too. March is National Women’s History Month, and its theme for 2024 is:“Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions.
Women have shown determination to continually promote and advocate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. One good example of this was exemplified in 2022 when Jessica Watkins, the first African-American Woman to live six months in space on the International Space Station. She is being followed by Dr. Jeanette Jo Epps, another black woman who is an Aerospace engineer, who received both her MS and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland. Flying as a Mission Specialist, Dr. Epps is currently in space for a long duration on the International Space Station after launching in her SpaceX Crew Dragon on March 4, 2024. This mission makes her the second black woman to be a part of a long-duration mission at the International Space Station!
Even though these accomplished African-American women lived or are living among the celestial stars; however, there was another African-American Woman, who was guided by the North Star, and that was Harriet Tubman. She may not have flown into space nor lived in the stars, but she was our star, our rock star. She showed us how we can be determined as she freed herself, her family and friends, and hundreds more. She was known to have said that she could have freed more if the people had realized that they were slaves.
From General Harriet to Ms. Jessica, to Dr. Jeanette, let's receive encouragement from these three African-American heroines and learn from them how to be determined to be and do our best in advocating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for our people and for women.
I encourage you to be determined!
Hazel Robinson
President, HUAC GWDC
