“Hidden Figures” Inspires #HiddenNoMore Educational Exchange Program
“Hidden Figures” is truly the gift that keeps on giving. The Oscar-nominated film, based on the true story of the African American women who played a crucial role in the space race, continues to prove its influence — so much so that it’s officially caught the eye of the U.S. State Department.
21st Century Fox told The Hollywood Reporter that the State Department has received numerous requests for the film from embassies around the world. In April and May alone, over 80 locations watched the story of NASA women Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) come alive on the screen. This inspired the State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to establish a #HiddenNoMore program.
In October participants — which include 50 women working in STEM fields from Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America — will first travel to Washington for a screening of “Hidden Figures” at National Geographic. They will then spend three weeks meeting with various groups that promote STEM for women and girls. The program will conclude in Los Angeles with a two-day event at.
Although #HiddenNoMore is “the first time that the State Department has utilized a Hollywood movie for a publicly funded exchange program,” this is not the first time that “Hidden Figures” itself has inspired off-screen action.
As we previously reported, 20th Century Fox and Black Girls CODE have partnered to create FutureKatherineJohnsons.com. This site aims to “build a tech future for young women of color across the country.” In January, “The Search for Hidden Figures” scholarship contest awarded two grand prize winners with “resources, financial support, and STEM experiences” that will give them a professional head-start. In total, the contest received close to 7,300 submissions.
Since its Christmas release, “Hidden Figures” has grossed more than $230.5 million worldwide. Thus far, Fox has spent close to $400,000 on various “Hidden Figures” educational initiatives and screenings.
