Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
"We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics." — Katherine Johnson
Today, we celebrate the brilliance, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements of a woman whose calculations helped send astronauts into space and back safely—Katherine Johnson. A true trailblazer, Johnson was a mathematical genius who shattered barriers in a field where Black women were rarely welcomed.
📌 The Hidden Figure Who Refused to Be Overlooked
Born in 1918, Katherine Johnson’s gift for numbers was evident from an early age. She was so advanced that she started high school at just 10 years old and graduated college at 18 with degrees in mathematics and French—at a time when few Black women even had the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Her brilliance led her to NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), where she worked as a “computer,” performing complex calculations by hand. But Johnson refused to be just another number-cruncher. She demanded a seat at the table, even when women—especially Black women—were excluded from meetings and decision-making processes.
📌 The Woman Who Sent America to Space
At NASA, Katherine Johnson’s calculations were so precise and essential that when astronaut John Glenn prepared for his historic 1962 orbit around the Earth, he refused to trust the newly installed electronic computers until Katherine personally verified the numbers. That’s right—before trusting a machine, he trusted Katherine Johnson.
Her work didn’t stop there. She played a critical role in calculating the trajectories for the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the moon in 1969 and helped ensure the safe return of the Apollo 13 astronauts when their spacecraft malfunctioned.
📌 Overcoming Racism and Sexism in STEM
While making history, Johnson faced both racial and gender discrimination—but she never let it stop her. She ignored the “colored” bathrooms, refused to be sidelined, and made sure her voice was heard in rooms where Black women had never been welcomed before.
📌 A Legacy That Inspires Generations
Katherine Johnson’s contributions were largely overlooked for decades, but her story was finally brought to light through the book and film "Hidden Figures." In 2015, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., for her invaluable work in space exploration.
She proved that Black women belong in STEM, in leadership, and in history books.
🚀 Katherine Johnson’s story is a reminder that intelligence, perseverance, and courage can break barriers.
Resources:
2025 Financial Masterclass For Black Women REPLAY
liftingasweclimbconsulting.thrivecart.com/financial-masterclass
✨ Download your FREE Job Liberation Toolkit here: tinyurl.com/liberation-toolkit
📧 Email support@liftingasweclimbconsulting.com to get the link to join the free Job Liberation Community Chat on the Telegram app
💲Purchase the "Save Yourself Masterclass: Channel Your Inner Harriet and Save Yourself From That Hostile Toxic Job With Your Sanity & Your Coins!" Replay:
liftingasweclimbconsulting.thrivecart.com/save-yourself-masterclass-replay
➡️ PURCHASE MY WORKBOOK, Welcome to Your Queendom, to help you reconnect to yourself if you're looking to exit a toxic work environment: manifestinghealing.kit.com/products/welcome-to-your-queendom
➡️ SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE NEWSLETTER: manifestinghealing.ck.page/newsletter
➡️ WATCH MY FREE TRAINING on how to leave a toxic job here: manifestinghealing.ck.page/freetraining
AFFILIATE LINKS:
Fedora Designs (Use code LIFT at checkout for 10% off)
fedoradesigns.com
D'IYANU African Clothing (Use code LIFT25 at checkout for 15% off)
Shop D'IYANU clothing using my affiliate link here: https://diyanu.myshopify.com/discount...
🚨 Legal Disclaimer: Please note that this video does not provide psychological services or therapy. Dr. Kimani shares personal experiences, offers valuable resources, and provides information to empower Black women who are toxic job survivors.
Who am I? Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands, a Black Woman Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Toxic Job Survivor with more than 15 years of experience providing mental health and consultation services. I'm on a mission to help Black women leave and heal from toxic jobs.
To learn more about my own experiences in a toxic job, watch the videos below in which I am interviewed by Stephanie Perry as well as Glamazini.
• Black Women Leaving Toxic Jobs ✌🏾 w/ ...
https://www.youtube.com/live/YucMGqDe...
🌿Therapy and Healing Resources:
• Watch "How Do You Find a Black Therapist?" https://www.youtube.com/live/5Z1TiYp6...
• Therapy For Black Girls: therapyforblackgirls.com
• The Loveland Foundation: thelovelandfoundation.org
"We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics." — Katherine Johnson
Today, we celebrate the brilliance, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements of a woman whose calculations helped send astronauts into space and back safely—Katherine Johnson. A true trailblazer, Johnson was a mathematical genius who shattered barriers in a field where Black women were rarely welcomed.
📌 The Hidden Figure Who Refused to Be Overlooked
Born in 1918, Katherine Johnson’s gift for numbers was evident from an early age. She was so advanced that she started high school at just 10 years old and graduated college at 18 with degrees in mathematics and French—at a time when few Black women even had the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Her brilliance led her to NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), where she worked as a “computer,” performing complex calculations by hand. But Johnson refused to be just another number-cruncher. She demanded a seat at the table, even when women—especially Black women—were excluded from meetings and decision-making processes.
📌 The Woman Who Sent America to Space
At NASA, Katherine Johnson’s calculations were so precise and essential that when astronaut John Glenn prepared for his historic 1962 orbit around the Earth, he refused to trust the newly installed electronic computers until Katherine personally verified the numbers. That’s right—before trusting a machine, he trusted Katherine Johnson.
Her work didn’t stop there. She played a critical role in calculating the trajectories for the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the moon in 1969 and helped ensure the safe return of the Apollo 13 astronauts when their spacecraft malfunctioned.
📌 Overcoming Racism and Sexism in STEM
While making history, Johnson faced both racial and gender discrimination—but she never let it stop her. She ignored the “colored” bathrooms, refused to be sidelined, and made sure her voice was heard in rooms where Black women had never been welcomed before.
📌 A Legacy That Inspires Generations
Katherine Johnson’s contributions were largely overlooked for decades, but her story was finally brought to light through the book and film "Hidden Figures." In 2015, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., for her invaluable work in space exploration.
She proved that Black women belong in STEM, in leadership, and in history books.
🚀 Katherine Johnson’s story is a reminder that intelligence, perseverance, and courage can break barriers.
Resources:
2025 Financial Masterclass For Black Women REPLAY
liftingasweclimbconsulting.thrivecart.com/financial-masterclass
✨ Download your FREE Job Liberation Toolkit here: tinyurl.com/liberation-toolkit
📧 Email support@liftingasweclimbconsulting.com to get the link to join the free Job Liberation Community Chat on the Telegram app
💲Purchase the "Save Yourself Masterclass: Channel Your Inner Harriet and Save Yourself From That Hostile Toxic Job With Your Sanity & Your Coins!" Replay:
liftingasweclimbconsulting.thrivecart.com/save-yourself-masterclass-replay
➡️ PURCHASE MY WORKBOOK, Welcome to Your Queendom, to help you reconnect to yourself if you're looking to exit a toxic work environment: manifestinghealing.kit.com/products/welcome-to-your-queendom
➡️ SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE NEWSLETTER: manifestinghealing.ck.page/newsletter
➡️ WATCH MY FREE TRAINING on how to leave a toxic job here: manifestinghealing.ck.page/freetraining
AFFILIATE LINKS:
Fedora Designs (Use code LIFT at checkout for 10% off)
fedoradesigns.com
D'IYANU African Clothing (Use code LIFT25 at checkout for 15% off)
Shop D'IYANU clothing using my affiliate link here: https://diyanu.myshopify.com/discount...
🚨 Legal Disclaimer: Please note that this video does not provide psychological services or therapy. Dr. Kimani shares personal experiences, offers valuable resources, and provides information to empower Black women who are toxic job survivors.
Who am I? Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands, a Black Woman Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Toxic Job Survivor with more than 15 years of experience providing mental health and consultation services. I'm on a mission to help Black women leave and heal from toxic jobs.
To learn more about my own experiences in a toxic job, watch the videos below in which I am interviewed by Stephanie Perry as well as Glamazini.
• Black Women Leaving Toxic Jobs ✌🏾 w/ ...
https://www.youtube.com/live/YucMGqDe...
🌿Therapy and Healing Resources:
• Watch "How Do You Find a Black Therapist?" https://www.youtube.com/live/5Z1TiYp6...
• Therapy For Black Girls: therapyforblackgirls.com
• The Loveland Foundation: thelovelandfoundation.org
