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Learning from Hidden Figures


This week I had the privilege of going to the movies to watch “Hidden Figures,” the true story of the contributions three African-American women (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson) made to the NASA program in primarily the 1960s.  I LOVED this movie, and would highly recommend seeing it.  It had everything you look for in a “good” movie- excellent cast, compelling story line, one-liners, drama, and situational humor, but it also had SO much more than that. 

What made this movie truly exceptional to me?  This movie had a purpose, a cause, a message.  It is a message that our nation could greatly benefit from- a message of unity.  Everything about this movie pointed to the fact that all of the characters, black, white, foreign, young and old, where unified and motivated by a common goal.  That is inspiring!

The movie did an excellent job of recognizing and honoring the contributions each of the three women made to each project and the NASA program as a whole.  It beautifully depicted how their respect for others and their hard work opened doors and created opportunities for themselves and those around them.  Hidden Figures put a spotlight on the hardships, challenges, and injustices they faced.  It also incorporated several details and scenes to communicate the political climate of the time period.  It did not villainize all whites, but rather acknowledged those who chose to do the right thing even when no one expected or required them to.  There was no real antagonist, just a group of people working together to accomplish a shared a goal.

This movie was awesome!  It was great to walk out of a theater and feel like I got more than my money’s worth.  It was a refreshing contrast to much of the other current work from our entertainment industry, promoting other causes.  My social media feed has been filled with praise for Meryl Streep’s recent comments at the Golden Globe Awards.  Given that the election is long over, these comments only promoted division and opposition to our nation’s elected leader.  Quite the contrast.

I’m proud to live in a nation where a public figure can openly criticize our nation’s future president without any fear of backlash, imprisonment, or being murdered in the streets.  I’m also proud to live in a nation that values the contributions of hidden figures enough that this movie topped the charts its opening weekend.  A nation that has spent years striving to protect the rights of the minority, not just minority in color but all who are outnumbered or underrepresented.  A nation that values progress and produces citizens who choose to do the right thing, even when everyone around them has decided that it is okay and normal to do wrong.  Our nation is certainly far from perfect, but let’s build on the things we are doing well.  One of the many great messages from Hidden Figures that we could all benefit from hearing: respect, integrity, and hard work bring people together, and THAT unity is the only way America will ever be “great” again. 
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