We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Richardson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Taylor, what are you inspired by?
Many things inspire me to pursue my dreams. The unconditional love and support from my family and friends, the adventure, challenge and ambition to aspire to be something great and the paths that come with the actuality of attaining it. Being charitable and seeing people working hard to create change, reach out to the less privileged, and make life better for people inspires me and honored to be part of the things that I can be.
And most importantly faith. But I don’t necessarily mean religion, although that is part of it. The faith I’m talking about is the ability to have faith when times are hard. Faith that I will win; faith that life will move on and things will be fine in some way, somehow, even when it doesn’t seem like it at the time. That is inspiring and it inspires me tremendously.
Also as a black woman in STEM and now a student at Spelman College, I am finding new inspirations in many aspects of my journey. Like;
Breaking barriers: Overcoming obstacles and stereotypes to excel in my future field of medicine.
Representation: Being a role model for future generations of black women in STEM inspires me to continue striving for success.
Making a difference: Using my skills and expertise to contribute to advancements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can be incredibly fulfilling.
Community support: Finding support and camaraderie within the black and STEM communities provides me encouragement and motivation.
Personal growth: Continuing to challenge myself and learning new things, that deeply are inspiring and rewarding.to me.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Taylor Richardson also known as Astronaut StarBright via social media is a student at Spelman College. She is a Morgan Stanley scholar and majoring in Biology with aspirations to become a scientist, astronaut, and a physician specifically an OBGYN to provide safe health spaces for black and brown women. She is an advocate, actionist, philanthropist and national public speaker. She is an internationally known advocate for girls in STEM.
Taylor’s philanthropy, service and advocacy work continues to have an incredible trajectory that began when she was nine years old while attending Space Camp in Alabama. Her first fundraiser led to the creation of her own book drive, “Taylor’s Take Flight with a Book.” Those effort to date has collected and donated over 25,000 books within and outside of the United States. Since then, Taylor has sponsored several full scholarships to send girls to STEM and empowerment camps across the U.S. and raised over $350,000 for other various initiatives with focus on STEM, literacy, health and social justice.
Her focus shining a light on inclusion and diversity in STEM through advocacy and philanthropy work. Through that work, the legacy she wants to leave behind is by bringing a sisterhood of warriors with her all the way to the stars by disrupting the status quo where girls like her have equal representation at all tables.
You can also find Taylor on YouTube in the documentary about her early stages of advocacy work titled, “ASTRONAUTSTARBRIGHT: Story of a STEM Advocate,” where it has earned numerous awards. In addition, she is featured in the documentaries “Fly Like A Girl,” about girls and women in aviation and STEM fields which is streaming on Hulu and in the YouTube and NetFlix Original Series “The Outsiders?”
On top of her skills, Taylor has completed several forewords including to New York Times Best Seller author of The Black Friend Fred T Joseph third book Better Than We Found It. She also co wrote a picture book with Girls Have Rights Founder Havana Chapman Edwards about girls being the change they want to see in the world.
You can find Taylor on all social media outlets under @astronautstarbright.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely dine at Flying Biscuit Cafe, Silver Skillet, West Egg Cafe, Mary Mac’s, and JJ’s Fish and Chicken to name a few for some Southern comfort food.
Visit some landmarks and sites, like High Art Museum, Fox Theater, Georgia Aquarium, Civil Rights Museum, Cascade, Ponce City Market, Atlanta Belt-line. Do a little shopping at Lennox Mall, Phipps Mall, East Atlanta Village.
Check out the parks, and Battery.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The saying that says, it takes a village, is truly who I have to give shoutout too! So many that I can’t even name have inspired and helped me get to where I am; and truly grateful to them! Yet hands down the two people I credit for the source or foundation of my dream would be my mom and the first Black female to go into space, astronaut, physician, and scientist Dr Mae Jemison.
My mom’s unconditional love, support and sacrifices she has made and continues to make for me to live my dream truly is the embodiment and testament of a true mothers love. The support and magic that her love provides never fails. To raise, shelter, educate and nurture me are commendable and I know I am lucky to have her. Her love for me inspires me to keep pushing in life.
And Dr Jemison has been my whole inspiration and in what you can be and see since reading her book Find Where The Wind Goes in 2nd grade. Through her book l saw myself in her, a young Black girl, facing racial bias, having a dream but people not supporting you. I could relate to her. After that, she has and still is the STEM foundation of everything I have and continue to do. Also having the opportunity to share a stage with her not once but twice has truly been a blessing and dream come true because it’s very rare you get the opportunity to meet the person who changes your trajectory not only in your dreams but life as a whole.
Website: www.
Instagram: Astronaut Starbright
Linkedin: Taylor Richardson
Twitter: AstroStartBright
Other: ADHD Apparel https://www.bonfire.com/taylor-richardson/
Image Credits
Renee Parenteau Photography