I went to the movie not really knowing anything about it, spurred

on by an acquaintance’s speech for the need to support black

movies. I had heard good reviews and was a fan of the lead
actresses, so I had some high expectations although as I said I
wasn’t too sure what the movie was about.
(For those who want an official synopsis Hidden Figures,
according to IMDB.com, is “The story of a team of African-
American women mathematicians who served a vital role in
NASA during the early years of the US space program.”)
What surprised me about Hidden Figures, even more than the
movies amazing box office success, was that these women had
been such an integral part of something as groundbreaking as the
space race in the 20th century and I had absolutely no idea of
their existence, which is bad on my part for not doing my own
research. I mean it’s not like i’m a history buff or anything but
shouldn’t the existence of these women and the other great
women in history be taught to us when we were growing up?
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the movie. I felt so good watching it,
it’s the type of movie I’d want my future daughter to see; however
I just had this annoyed feeling at the back of my mind at the fact I
knew literally nothing of these great women.
As I exited the cinema, I left with an urge to delve deeper into the
realms of google and history sites to find out more about great
women like Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary
Jackson. Let’s see who else society has left in the shadows.
y first thought when I finished watching Hidden Figures was,
“Wow, they actually did all of those things, like they accomplished
their goals.” I thought this was very inspirational, because back
then it was very hard for other races besides Caucasians, to do the
things they wanted and love. In the movie there is a part when
Mary Jackson’s husband even doubts her accomplishing her
dreams, showing how un-motivated people were and how many
dreams were simply crushed and forgotten.
Then there was Dorothy Vaughn who wanted to be a supervisor
for her group of women who are highly skilled with computers.
She wanted to move on with her dreams when she realized
Katherine and Mary was moving up with theirs. NASA wouldn’t
make her a supervisor though, she worked hard and even acted
like a supervisor to her group of woman. Then one day she got a
huge offer, but she would only do it if her girls were with her as
well. So they allowed it. She finally became a supervisor. She is the
first African American woman to supervise a staff at the West
Area Computers Division.

Another part in the movie shows when she took her sons to the
library to get some books to help her out with work, they ended up
getting kicked out, just because Dorothy needed the book, but the
library was whites’ only.
It was upsetting to see how she couldn’t check out the book and
then the security guard pushed her sons out as well. Then when
she got on the bus she still had the book on her and when her sons
asked why and she said she pays taxes and those taxes help the
library out. I know Dorothy is a very witty and strong person. She
stayed determined in what she believed in and knew she could
accomplish her goals, she didn’t leave her girls and moved them
up with her.
Mary Jackson, wanted to become an engineer, in the beginning
she had doubts about it. She was talking about it with her co-
worker and she said how impossible it felt, her co-workers told
her she could do it, because they were already doing the
impossible. I thought about what she said and how she had hope
that Mary could accomplish her goals. It showed me even when
things feel impossible, they aren’t.
She even went to court to fight for what she wanted and got night
classes at University, an all-white school! That was amazing. I
really loved that part, because that filled so much hope in Mary
and made her believe more in herself that she could accomplish a
lot more things after that, Mary Jackson became the first
female African American NASA engineer. Mary is a sassy, brave
and determined for what she fights for.
Last, but not least was Katherine Goble, she was strongly skilled
in mathematics and had an analytical mind. She got a new
assignment by Al Harrison, so she had to move to a new part of
the company.
When she was getting escorted, the woman told her, “you will be
the first black person here. Don’t make me regret choosing you.
Most people only last a few days, so don’t get used to it.” Then
when Katherine entered everyone stared at her. Her co-workers
were rude towards her as well. She went to grab some coffee and
everyone was staring at her. She immediately felt uncomfortable
and sat down and sipped her coffee slowly. After that incident
they got a second coffee maker and it said “colored”, she went to
use it, it was empty, sending a message.
This showed me how even though Katherine accomplished her
goals, there will always be people trying to bring her down. Then
she got upset and explained to Harrison how rude everyone was
acting towards her and how she never got pearls and how no one
wants to use the same coffee maker as her, since earlier she was
always in the bathroom and he would ask where she went. Then
the next day he tore down the “whites only” bathroom and the
“colored” signs and he said, “no whites or colored, we’re all the
same here.”
That showed me how Al Harrison really cared about Katherine as
an employee and he didn’t care about skin color. Then when
Katherine got engaged, her co-workers got her a pearl necklace,
which was Harrison’s ideas too, which she wore to her wedding.
Then later on in the movie, when John Glenn was going to orbit
around earth, he said he only trusted Katherine with her
calculations and with his safety, he knew she was brilliant and he
only trusted her not the computer machine. He was right too, he
had trouble up in space, but he got back safe.
Katherine played a huge roll in John Glenn’s journey and Apollo
space program landing a man on the moon. In 2015, Katherine
received National Medal of Freedom from President Obama.
This movie showed me that anything you set your mind to you can
accomplish. You just have to stay determined and full of courage.
This movie is very inspiring and does prove to other women and
girls they can do things even when they feel it’s out of their reach.

The movie Hidden Figures is said to be not a movie of ego but instead a
story of brilliance, struggle, and willpower. (Cruz, L. 2017, January 9).
The movie Hidden Figures is based on the true story of three African
American women in the 1960’s who were employed by Virginia based
NASA in the West Area Computing Division as “human computers”
doing math on paper by hand as opposed to a calculator. The three
women were, Kathryn Johnson, a brilliantmathematician was used to
compute that coordinates needs for the launching of the space shuttle
into space but was not allowed to take credit or be treated equal as her
co-workers because she was both black and a woman. Dorothy Vaughn
worked in the capacity of the department supervisor but was refused the
actually title and pay, and Mary Jackson had the knowledge, driveand
desire to be an engineer but due to segregation laws was not allowed to
attend the classes needed to obtain her engineer license. The movie takes
place in American during a time that Jim Crow was the law and African
American people were treated sub-human and were kept at the bottom of
the racial hierarchy. (

Hidden Figures tells the true story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary
Jackson, three three African-American who helped develop NASA’s space program.
Staff members of AnitaB.org went to see the film on opening day, and we were
thrilled to see the story of these extraordinary women unfold on the big screen.

We also provided tickets to our some of our AnitaB.org communities and asked them
to share their reactions to the film. The response from our community members was
incredible. Here are just a few examples of their reactions:

Key learning #1 – Culture is about the dress code, artefacts, business meetings, political system,
legal system, transportation, architecture, social beliefs & roles, norms, rituals, perceptions,
thoughts, feelings, etc. Although one may think that one is not biased, but sometimes it’s through
the words we say, the things we do, the ways we behave, that may subtly imply otherwise. When
we are aware, we are able to be more mindful in what we say, do, think & behave.

Some quotes from the movie:

“Can I ask you where the restroom is?”, to which she was replied “I have no idea where your
restroom is.”

“Yes, they let women do some stuff at NASA and it’s not because we wear skirts. It’s because
we wear glasses.”

“Every time we have a chance to get ahead, they move the finish line.”

“Mrs. Mitchell: Dorothy, despite what you might think, I have nothing against y’all.
Dorothy: I know. I know you believe that.”

Key learning #2 – Culture change starts from the top.

Al Harrison removing the restroom segregation signage & the label on the kettle, getting
Katherine Johnson to check the calculations of the male colleagues, letting Katherine Johnson
into a meeting that was attended only by males; these are all part of culture change from the top.
People follow their leaders. So in order to initiate culture change in the organization, the leaders
have to take the lead in making the change and others will follow.

Some quotes from the movie:

“Here at NASA, we all pee the same colour.”

“I suggest you call your wives & tell them how it’s going to be. I’ll start with mine.”

“Mr. Harris: Who makes the rules?

Katherine: You sir. You are the boss. You just have to act like one. Sir.”

Key learning #3 – Don’t be afraid to be the first to initiate the change.

If the judge had not been the first to grant Mary Jackson permission to enroll into a school for
whites only, she would not have become the first black female engineer in NASA.

Katherine Johnson never expected to be the first African-American to join the Space Task
Group. She had her struggles while in the role. If she had chosen not to take up the role or given
up halfway because of the struggles, she would not have done her historic works at NASA &
made a difference to the African-American community.

Like the famous quote says, be the change you want to see in this world.

Quote from the movie:

“I plan on being an engineer at NASA, but I can’t do that without taking them classes at that all-
white high school, and I can’t change the color of my skin. So I have no choice but to be the first,
which I can’t do without you, sir. Your honor, out of all the cases you’re going to hear today,
which one will matter a hundred years from now? Which one is gonna make you the first?”

Key learning #4 – Take care of your people

Dorothy Vaughan learned about the IBM & decided to learn about the new technologies because
she didn’t want to be made redundant. She could have just learned the new skill herself & not
share with the others in her team. But she learned & taught her team so that they could adapt &
progress together. And when she was offered a permanent position as a supervisor at the IBM
department, she turned it down because she would only go if her team went along with her. She
took care of her team instead of taking the promotion herself. When we take care of our people,
our people will respect us & support us. In any culture change, when our people know what’s in
it for them, when they are involved in the change process, they will be more willing & prepared
to adapt & accept the change.

Some quotes from the movie:

“You know what your job is, Paul? Find the genius among the geniuses. … Pull us all up.”

“We can get there together or we don’t get there at all.”

“My girls are ready. We can do the work.”

If you haven't watched the movie yet, I strongly encourage you to. :) :)