Pelosi Remarks at the Women’s History Month Reception Honoring the Women Mathematicians of America’s Space Program

Speaker Pelosi.  Good afternoon, everyone.

Isn't it thrilling to be here in this hall of heroes to celebrate four bonified American heroes?

[Applause]

Christine Darden, whom we are honored to be here with today, Mary Jackson represented by her granddaughter Wanda, Katherine Johnson represented by her daughter Joylette, Dorothy Vaughan represented by her daughter Maida.

They are pioneers.  These women pioneered – who we honor here today – pioneered new frontiers for space and exploration and shattered old barriers of race and gender – inspiring generations of young women to reach for the stars.

The sky is the limit and they went beyond that.

We acknowledge and welcome our distinguished Chair of the Science, Space and Technology Committee, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.

[Applause]

A trailblazer in her own right.  The first woman and the first person of color to Chair Science, Space and Technology Committee.  Thank you, Eddie Bernice.

Let us also welcome our friends from NASA who are here, women from STEM groups, who are here and universities.

And give us a special welcome to the students from Howard University who are here.

[Applause]

And from my alma mater, Trinity College, who are here.

[Applause]

Now, it is my special honor to – now it's Trinity University.  It was a college when I was there.

I do want to just say this one little anecdote.  One of my favorite stories about math is of a math teacher who says to a first-grader, ‘What is one and one?'  He says, ‘Two.'  ‘Two and two?'  ‘Four.'  She says, ‘Good.'  He says, ‘Not good, perfect.'

[Laughter]

And that's what this is today.  Perfect for us, in Women's History Month, to be here to honor these women and the glass ceiling and beyond that they broke.

And I also want to thank and welcome Michele Fowlin and the Eleanor Roosevelt – isn't that a good name for a high school? The Eleanor Roosevelt School Women's Chamber Ensemble.

Thank you for being here.

[Applause]

We'll be hearing from them momentarily, remembering that Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.'  And that's what this is about today, too.

This Women's History Month, we mark the 100 years in this Congress of the United States – this session of Congress marks 100 years since women got the right to vote.  That's pretty exciting.

[Applause]

And in this Congress, for the first time, we have over 100 women in the Congress of the United States.

[Applause]

We also meet in advance of another momentous anniversary.  Pretty soon, 50 years since Americans landed on the moon.

When President Kennedy challenged America to go to the moon safely and back, he said, ‘We choose to go to the moon in this decade not because it is easy, but because it is hard.   Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.  Because that challenge is one we are willing to accept, one that we are unwilling to postpone and one in which we are willing to win.'

And so, here we are.  More to say later, but now, we're going to hear from our distinguished honorees and the voice of God will introduce them to us.

[Laughter]

But first, let me thank each and every one of you.  As I look around the room, I can tell a story about each of you and your contributions that you have made in this year – in this month of Women's History Month – for the advancement of women, for the advancement of math and science and technology and the arts.

And we do so – Valerie Jarrett – in the shadow of Cleo, the muse of history, who is writing down in her book how we all preform our duties.  She's got a lot to write down about the women you're going to hear from today.

Thank you all very much for being here.

Happy Women's History Month!