hit enter to search
Hidden Figures
2025

Bridgeport Film Fest Bridgeport, CT

with

Gwendolyn Brantley

Founder & Executive Director | Championing Innovative K-12 STEM

and

Nina Lesiga

Former Chemist and Storyteller

Hidden Figures— Evolution of women in STEM: Past, present, future

Our discussion will be centered around the historical context of the contributions made by Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson who are depicted in the film Hidden Figures. We will dive into the personal stories of overcoming barriers and achieving success in STEM fields, current initiatives and programs aimed at supporting women in STEM and strategies for creating more inclusive and supportive environments in STEM workplaces and educational institutions for women who want to pursue this career

Bridgeport Film Fest Bridgeport, CT

Film Synopsis

A team of African American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions.

As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, three brilliant African American women at NASA — Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — became the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race, and captivated the world.

About the Speaker

Accomplished STEM leader and HR professional Gwendolyn Brantley: 25 years of experience in program development, project management, human resources, and educational consulting. Expertise in leading and managing STEM-focused educational initiatives for K-12 students and college students. Proven ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders, design impactful curriculum, and manage small to large-scale projects. Adept at driving organizational success through strategic planning, human resources management, and team leadership. Recognized for contributions to education equity, workforce development, and community engagement in STEM and STEAM.

Nina Lesiga is a Chemist who worked in Research & Development for a Fortune 500 company manufacturing Personal Care Products. She has a BS in Chemistry from Polytechnic University in Brooklyn and did graduate work at CUNY (City University of NY.) Nina’s career focus was on turning corporate strategy into action and building high performance global teams. Her roles included Information Management, Knowledge Management and Project Management. Since retiring, Nina became a professional storyteller who’s performed on PBS’s "Stories from the Stage" and hosts the monthly "Bridgeport Art Trail Storytelling Exchange" on Zoom where tellers of any experience level share stories of any genre or attend to listen to an evening of stories. Learning more about Nina at NinaLesiga.com