At a pre-SAG Awards celebration for “Hidden Figures,” actor Aldis Hodge told The Cut that the film seems to have already gotten more young girls interested in pursuing careers in STEM fields.
“We’ve already seen that effect happen nationally,” he said, at a brunch on Sunday. “We’re constantly doing panels for STEM and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Mathematics) all over.” He also said that he’s currently working on Image of STEM, an initiative that started in the White House during the Obama Administration that seeks to expand STEM education to students of all backgrounds.
Hodge also worked with the Girls Build LA program to screen “Hidden Figures for 2,000 young women in the Los Angeles area. “I love the fact that a lot of these girls are now getting support for their interest. It’s fantastic,” he said. “I hope that it just keeps going.”
Women ― particularly women of color ― are seriously underrepresented in STEM careers. But Hodge hopes that “Hidden Figures,” which tells the story of three black women who worked for NASA in the 1960s, will help pave the way for a more diverse workplace.
H/T The Cut