The new space camp for teenage girls will open in January and is named after Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols, who passed away in 2022.
Nichols was the first Black woman to star in a US prime-time TV series, playing Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, and her role in the sci-fi series inspired a generation of African American women.
Organized by the Nichelle Nichols Foundation, the Space Camp will offer a weekend experience for girls aged 14 to 18 at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
According to the foundation’s website, “participants will work in teams and face mission scenarios that require dynamic problem-solving and critical thinking — 21st-century learning skills essential in the workplace.”
Bonnie Gordon, an actress in Star Trek: Prodigy, who met Nichols at Star Trek conventions and fan events, will serve as a mentor at the camp. She spoke about the opportunity to People Magazine.
“Encouraging these young women to be whatever they want to be, pushing the boundaries not just of space but of science and their own personal discoveries, is simply a dream come true for me,” she said.
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