profiles

The Unseen Stars: Latinas Shaping U.S. Space Exploration

A collage featuring photos of Adriana Ocampo, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Katya Echazerreta, Diana Trujillo and Monsi Roman, the latinas shaping U.S. space exploration

In the vast expanse of space, where galaxies twirl and stars shimmer, there’s a human story that is as captivating as the universe itself. This story speaks of incredible courage, unyielding determination, and groundbreaking achievements. It's the story of Latinas in the U.S. Space Program. From blasting off into the cosmos to developing the technology that makes space exploration possible, Latinas have been shaping our journey to the stars for decades, turning science fiction into reality.


Let's start with a superstar, Dr. Ellen Ochoa. Can you imagine the thrill of soaring through the sky, breaking through Earth's atmosphere, and catching your first glimpse of the boundless universe? Well, Ochoa did more than just imagine. She lived it.

Photo of Dr. Ellen Ochoa in her NASA Uniformvia Wikimedia Commons

In 1993, she buckled into the Discovery space shuttle, her heart pounding with anticipation, becoming the first Latina woman to reach space. With nearly 1,000 hours logged in space over her dazzling career, Ochoa's journey is nothing short of inspiring.

Yet, the awe-inspiring impact of Latinas stretches far beyond the astronaut suit. Did you know that some of the most remarkable contributions come from behind the scenes, in labs, workshops, and offices?

Take Adriana Ocampo, for instance. Born in Colombia, she's a planetary geologist and a key player at NASA headquarters. Ocampo has had her hands in some of NASA's most intriguing missions, including Juno to Jupiter and New Horizons to Pluto.

Photo of Adriana Ocampo in a suit wearing a NASA pinvia Wikimedia Commons

Ocampo's work hasn't gone unnoticed. She has been lauded with awards like the Woman of the Year in Science from Comisión Femenil and named one of the most important women in science by Discover magazine. There’s even an asteroid named in her honor. Now that’s monumental! Through her tireless efforts, she’s living proof that there's more than one way to reach the stars and unlock the secrets of the cosmos.

Then there's Monsi Roman, a Puerto Rican scientist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center who helped NASA build part of the International Space Station and is currently the Chief Microbiologist for the Environmental Control and Life Support System project who determines how microbes will behave under distinct situations and in different locations.

A photo of Monsi Roman

The stellar journey of Latinas in space doesn't end with the trailblazers of the past; it continues today with a new generation of space innovators. Katya Echazarreta, a young Mexican-American aerospace engineer at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center and a first-generation college student, turned her childhood fascination with space into a thriving career, now playing a critical role in developing the technology that will power future space missions.

Meanwhile, Diana Trujillo, a Colombian aerospace engineer, has been making waves as the flight director for the Mars Perseverance rover mission. Trujillo's journey from immigrant to a key figure in one of NASA's most ambitious missions serves as an inspiration for countless aspiring Latina astronauts and engineers. These women, among many others, are not just participants in the U.S. space program; they're shaping its future, proving that the impact of Latinas in space is not just history—it's ongoing, it's powerful, and it's absolutely out of this world.

Photo of Diana Trujillo standing in front of the NASA logovia Wikimedia Commons

But perhaps the most significant impact of Latinas in the U.S. space program lies in the hope and inspiration they provide for the next generation. They're blazing a trail for young girls everywhere, showing them that the stars aren't out of reach and that they, too, can be a part of the awe-inspiring journey to the cosmos. The sky isn't the limit anymore; the universe is.

As we continue to reach for the stars, we do so on the shoulders of these remarkable women. Here's to more Latinas lighting up the cosmos!

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opinion

Latinos Are Ready to Vote for Abortion Rights This November

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).

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books

Hot Off the Press: 5 Must-Read Releases by Latina Authors

book covers laying flat on a white surface
Luz Media

If you’re looking for your next page-turner, checking out new releases is always a good option. These fresh releases from Latina authors will pull you in and give you the kind of satisfying reading experience you’re on the hunt for. Whether you’re looking for a good fiction book or want to dive deep into real-life issues to broaden your knowledge, these 5 must-read releases will deliver.

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politics

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

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