President Obama mentions Katherine Johnson in the State of the Union address

97 years young, was one of three students who integrated West Virgiia Univeristy, numeous honoroary doctorates, broke gender and racial barriers as one of the few women and African Americans working for NASA (formerly NACA) in the 1950's, known as a mathematocal genius as her calculations were legendary. She is responsible for calculating the trajectories for major space flights; including Neil Armstrong historic flight to the moon and Alan Shephards orbit around the Earth. In November 2015, Dr. Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama and this evening the POTUS mentioned her again in his State of the Union. Go Dr. Johnson...who was named the West Virginian of the Year and is also a Diamnond Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. YES!!!! #SoProudOfHer http://www.bustle.com/articles/135240-who-is-katherine-johnson-obamas-state-of-the-union-shows-love-to-the-famed-nasa-scientist

The Sankofa Projects on Round Robin

From NASA to the Moon to the White House- Dr. Katherine G. Johnson honored at the White House

NASA Pioneer and NASA Mathematician, Dr. Katherine G. Johnson was awared the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama yesterday, November 24th at the White House. Dr. Johnson broke racial and gender barriers by being among the first African Americans and women to work at NASA in 1953. Dr. Johnson worked as a Mathematician and was known as a "Human Computer" when computers wore skirts. She is reponsible for every major space flight including calculating Alan Shepard's orbit of the Earth in 1961, which put the first American in Space and Apollo 13's Flight to the Moon in 1969 putting the First man on the Moon. It is said that Neil Armstrong specifically asked for Dr. Johnson to calculate the trajectory to the moon because her calculations were so precise. She is a West Va Native and a life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.(notice her Kelly green AKA blanket on her lap) Dr. Johnson is a beautiful human being and because of her....we can. Dr. Johnson is sitting next to Willie Mays who also received an award. Thank you Dr. Johnson for inspiring us to reach for the stars and also the moon. #AmericanHistoryMade ‪‬

Not FORGIVEN

NO, I don't forgive you for the thievery, for forging my name for the sake of Unity, for raping the girls in Nigeria, for killing Travyon and Eric and Rekia and Tamir, and Amadou and Eleanor and Sandra, for shooting down the loving and prayer filled church members of the AME church in Charleston, you are not forgiven for disrespecting the ancestors, for disrespecting the culture, NOT forgiven for slavery, NOT forgiven for rescinding on our 40 acres and a mule, not forgiven for redlining, lynchings, floggings, burning at the stake, for gentrification, not forgiven for Wounded Knee, the Holocaust, for appropriation, for Tuskegee, for Jim Crow, for the rapes and experimentation on African women, for selling the children, not forgiven for Ota Benga and the one you called Hottentot-- you are not forgiven for sitting comfortably in your privilege while people are dying. Why have you not raised your voice against the injustices against the humans you SEE everyday in your communities and cities. I am not interested in holding hands with you while you sing "Amazing Grace." I don't do that. I have work to do so move aside if you are not willing to get your hands dirty and fight the good fight. It will be worth it- I assure you- for all of our sakes. I have no time for colored meetings or tea parties or ignoring the pink elephant in the room. There is work to be done and I am committed to creating a safer, more humane, more loving world for my children and the other babies whom you ignore. They and the elders are my focus. So I have dried my tears and in the words of my Ancestor and Queen Mother Zora Neale Hurston, "No, I do not weep at the world. I'm too busy sharpening my oyster knife."

PRIVILEGE...

So by now everyone is basking in the joy of Viola Davis and her win. SO PROUD of her for mastering her craft and for the joy on her face as being recognized by the industry. Nancy Lee, a white/European woman telling Viola Davis, a dark brown skinned woman of African ancestry that she has never experienced discrimination in Hollywood is ABSURD, ignorant, and terribly insulting. The experience of the Black/African woman in this country has been one of survival and resistance.... against the racists and rapists who have created industries which support the propaganda which tell us our beauty is not the standard, make a mockery of our bodies and skin then create products to mimic our lips, skin and body parts. Google black face and see how black African people globally have been represented in history. But for some folk who still cant grasp why her statement is so unnerving, let me break it down. That statement 'could" be considered akin to: -a man telling a woman she has never experienced gender based discrimination who faces sexual harassment, the glass ceiling, etc -a heterosexual person telling a gay person that they have never experienced gay bashing in this hetero normative culture we live in - a Christian telling a Muslim that Islamophobia isn't real especially after 9/11 How can you tell define another experience when you have never walked in their shoes? That is privilege speaking out of its twisted mouth. I didnt even know General Hospital was still on the air and I didnt even know who Nancy Lee was before her faux paus so she is of no consequence to me. The bigger issue is that her sentiments reflect how many in the industry and the overall society feel about racism and the lack of opportunities which prompted Viola to quote Harriet Tubman which is so relevant in 2015. Privilege blinds people from seeing the truth of other people's experiences. As a humanity, we will never "cross the lines with arms stretched" that Tubman spoke about in the 1800's to get to the other side when people on the other side have their eyes closed, arms folded and continue to disregard our reality. ‪#‎CheckYourPrivilege‬

Nancy Lee, a white/European woman telling Viola Davis, a dark brown skinned woman of African ancestry that she has never experienced discrimination in Hollywood is ABSURD, ignorant, and terribly insulting. The experience of the Black/African woman in this country has been one of survival and resistance.... against the racists and rapists who have created industries which support the propaganda which tell us our beauty is not the standard, make a mockery of our bodies and skin then create products to mimic our lips, skin and body parts. Google black face and see how black African people globally have been represented in history. But for some folk who still cant grasp why her statement is so unnerving, let me break it down. That statement 'could" be considered akin to: -a man telling a woman she has never experienced gender based discrimination who faces sexual harassment, the glass ceiling, etc -a heterosexual person telling a gay person that they have never experienced gay bashing in this hetero normative culture we live in - a Christian telling a Muslim that Islamophobia isn't real especially after 9/11 How can you tell define another experience when you have never walked in their shoes? That is privilege speaking out of its twisted mouth. I didnt even know General Hospital was still on the air and I didnt even know who Nancy Lee was before her faux paus so she is of no consequence to me. The bigger issue is that her sentiments reflect how many in the industry and the overall society feel about racism and the lack of opportunities which prompted Viola to quote Harriet Tubman which is so relevant in 2015. Privilege blinds people from seeing the truth of other people's experiences. As a humanity, we will never "cross the lines with arms stretched" that Tubman spoke about in the 1800's to get to the other side when people on the other side have their eyes closed, arms folded and continue to disregard our reality. ‪#‎CheckYourPrivilege‬

Equality and Justice for ALL

The problem with these invites and apologies from upper officials is that it disregards all the others who have been treated unjustly. What about the families of the non famous and poor? What about the family of Tamir Rice a child who was shot in cold blood in the playground? Where was the apology then? These invites are a distraction. James Blake got an apology from the city of NY because he is a famous tennis player. What about the countless black and brown people profiled ///where is their apology? Let's deal with the real issues and offer an apology to EVERYONE or NO ONE at all. This is elitism and classism at work here. Pookie and Ray Ray deserve an apology too. #ApologiesAreDistractions