April 14 was a historic day, as pop star Katy Perry, journalist Lauren Sanchez, CBS host Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, activist and scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn, all became part of the first all-female spaceflight in more than 60 years. While all eyes were on American singer and songwriter Katy, another remarkable figure quietly made history — Amanda Nguyen. Though her name might not have been the focal point of conversations, her achievement is just as groundbreaking, if not more.
Nguyen, the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman to fly to space, fulfilled her childhood dream as she took to space.
Who is Amanda Nguyen?
Amanda is a rape survivor, activist, and TIME Magazine's 2022 Woman of the Year. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee, she has been recognized for her advocacy for sexual assault survivors. Not only did she play a pivotal role in the passage of the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights in the United States in 2016, but she is also the founder of Rise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil rights protections for survivors of gender-based violence.
Amanda’s dream to go to space
Growing up, Nguyen had a deep passion for science and dreamt of going to space, and studied at Harvard, even going on to intern at NASA. But the universe had other plans for her. Instead of following the traditional route to space, Nguyen put her dream on hold. While she was studying at Harvard, Amanda survived sexual assault, following which she sacrificed her personal aspirations to fight for the rights of survivors, and delayed her dream of becoming an astronaut. Despite her struggles, Nguyen’s resolve was unshakable.
But now finally, Nguyen fulfilled her childhood dream with Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission. So, while Katy Perry's journey to space has been a hot topic, we should definitely highlight Amanda’s achievements and work as well!
