Woman in Motion film reveals how actress Nichelle Nichols diversified NASA
By Sydney Cameron
ORLANDO, Fla. - A documentary exploring how
Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols played an instrumental role in diversifying NASA will premiere in movie theaters nationwide Tuesday, for one week only. It will be released everywhere on digital and on demand Feb. 16.
Woman in Motion tells the story of how Nichols, was one of the first African-American women featured in a major television series, recruited 8,000 minorities to join NASA’s recruiting program.
Todd Thompson, the film’s producer and director, said Nichols attend a Comic Con in the 1970s where she heard a NASA representative speak just as the agency was about to start the Space Shuttle Program. Thompson said NASA was struggling to find scientists, engineers and astronauts, and Nichols became fascinated with the subject. But she didn’t see anyone who resembled her, leading her to challenge NASA with the simple question, W