SHE IS AN OFFICER AND A LEADER

MAY the FOURTH BE WITH YOU and METAPHORS BE WITH YOU and

SHE IS AN OFFICER AND A LEADER.

By Mary Dezember
Author of stories and poetry as portals to possibilities.

Stormtroopers and Me

At the Sci-Fi Convention at New Mexico Tech in 2008, featuring my role model, Nichelle Nichols,
as keynote speaker.

Today, May the Fourth, 2024 — in honor of great SCI-FI, great SCIENCE, and great CREATIVE WRITING — I will post about my role model Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022) and my dear, clever friend Karen Hellinger (1972-2024) — who were relatives — the NMT Sci-Fi Convention in 2008, and my caring, brilliant friend, gentle soul, Dr. Scott Zeman (1969-2020).

Nichelle Nichols

**A true shining star on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise and throughout the universe.**

From the back of her poetry book, *Mountains, Rivers and Heavens* (Finishing Line Press, 2005), by my lovely, talented friend, Karen Hellinger, who is a shining star for eternity.

Miners’ Ink journals edited by Karen Hellinger and the Sci-Fi convention program.

A wonderful writer, Karen Hellinger was the Editor-in-Chief of the New Mexico Tech student-run literary and art journal, Miners' Ink, taking over from my friend and great poet Glenda Stewart-Langley, who remained as Faculty Advisor for the journal.

The journal and NMT, with Karen as captain of the Miners' Ink starship, achieved, in 2008, the most out-of-this-world Sci-Fi Convention. It was a glorious and huge success by offices, departments, and supporters campus-wide and beyond!

Karen invited Nichelle Nichols as the keynote speaker. Nichelle graciously accepted. Nichelle's entire visit and her keynote were riveting. She did so much throughout her life for women and minorities in the sciences. She interacted with all during the convention as if we were dear friends and family.

Nichelle is my first and everlasting role model. When I was a young girl, Nichelle as Lt. Uhura entered my life as an officer on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Seeing HER — A WOMAN — AS AN OFFICER AND A LEADER affected me profoundly.

Nichelle and me during the Convention activities in 2008.

It was 1966. I saw for the first time that a woman was respected for her intelligence and abilities and was in a role that society had reserved for men. I want to note that, even as a child, I saw that in 1966 Nichelle was representing women and people of color during turbulent times when women and people of color were denied equal and civil rights. During the Sci-Fi Convention, I talked many times with Nichelle, telling her about the profound and lasting importance she and her portrayal of Lt. Uhura have had on me and my life choices.

I want to note that it is both Nichelle, herself, (such a stellar person) and her portrayal of the also stellar character of Lt. Uhura who have been positive influences on me, but it is Nichelle who is my forever role model.

Karen invited me to present at the convention.

You can see the titles of my workshops. : )

Wonderful sci-fi authors also accepted Karen's invitation to speak.

Because the Convention was an event brought-to-you-by New Mexico Tech — a premier science, technology and engineering higher education institution — Karen also planned panels with some of our esteemed scientist professors, one of whom now works for NASA. Karen also invited our friend and colleague Dr. Scott Zeman, who was a scholar in the cultural studies field he called Atomic America. Karen, Scott and I — as did probably most at NMT — loved sharing our thoughts on sci-fi stories and film. I miss my two sci-fi-story-and-film friends.

Thank you, Karen, for all you did to enrich the lives of so many and to make life fun! Thanks to you, Karen, I talked several times with and danced with (at the Cap) my role model, Nichelle Nichols.