Hidden Figures has remained at the top of the box office charts for the past two weeks grossing at $22.8 million in ticket sales (Forbes.com). Can I just say that this is Black Girl Magic to the 10th power! I remember going to the movies to see the film. I felt it was not only my duty as a black girl to see the movie, but as black girl journalist, I wanted to see what the hoopla was all about. Hearing raving reviews from friends and Facebook I just knew I was in for a treat. However, I never anticipated experiencing the feeling of satisfaction in learning that someone who looked just like me was unquestionably successful in a field that seems non-existent to my race and gender.
On one sunny Saturday afternoon, I finally gallantly purchased my ticket at the theater. I hadn’t been this excited to see a movie since the Hunger Games premier (Yes I am a huge fan of the Mocking Jay… I salute to District 13). I found my seat, grabbed my movie snacks and my eyes quickly zoomed into the screen. Now prior to actually coming to see the movie I had watched a good portion of interviews of the movie cast on YouTube. Nevertheless, no amount of videos could have ever prepared me for the chills I would feel watching Black Girls do math.
I mean if I can stop and recapture the moment and explain what I saw, I would say it was as comparable as to seeing a spider spin its web on the discovery channel. You become totally engulfed in the spinning; mesmerized by the intricacy and skill. As Taraji took to the board writing out her equations, it was as if the world had stopped and the only thing that mattered in that theater at that moment was that dear piece of chalk she gripped so tightly in her hand.
In my head, I questioned, “are these black women really doing math?” Is the world ending! Is this some sort of strange phenomenon. Because never have I heard of these three words in the same sentence yet alone holding any amount of significance. During the entire movie, my eyes went from Big to Bigger, to close in disbelief on how revolutionary these women were. And it made me think, “What else can we do” what else are black girls achieving that story telling has yet to capture?
You know growing up black girls were basically told our career trajectories before we could ever learn or speak. It was engrained in our minds that we could aim to be teachers, would aim to be writers; we could even aim to be ballerinas and doctors. But engineers, mathematicians … who does that? Well, black girls do that, and apparently, we do it very well.
In the ending credits, it stated Octavia Spencer‘s character Dorothy, was credited as being the most brilliant mind to ever work with NASA. Now wait, hold on! A black woman… was said to have the most brilliant mind… in NASA? Somebody pinch me, please. Now if this is not Black and Girl Power, all wrapped up into one I don’t know what is.
I completely recommend this movie to all Black Girls near and far. Moms take your daughters; Sisters take your friends. Our daughters can learn so much from seeing a black woman Win. Hidden Figures is a five-star movie with a five-star message.
What did you like about Hidden Figures?
Words by Rasheera Dopson.
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox.