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In this Women’s History Month episode of Afternoon Coffee Break with Darren Watts, Darren explores the life and legacy of Mary Jackson, NASA’s first Black female engineer.

Mary Jackson’s journey was anything but simple. From teaching and community work to serving as a mathematician in Langley’s segregated West Area Computing section, she pushed through racial and gender barriers to earn the credentials needed to become an engineer in 1958.

But her legacy goes beyond being first. Jackson also dedicated herself to opening doors for the next generation, helping young people see opportunities in science and later working to improve advancement for women at NASA.

In this episode, Darren reflects on Jackson’s path, her commitment to service, and what her story reveals about access, opportunity, and the barriers that have too often stood in the way of Black excellence.

#AfternoonCoffeeBreak
#WomensHistoryMonth
#MaryJackson
#HiddenFigures
#BlackWomenInSTEM
#NASAHistory
#WomenInEngineering
#BlackHistory
#STEMLeadership