Judy Resnik and Christa McAuliffe before the fated Challenger flight (NASA photo scanned by J.L. Pickering)
Grush, a self-described “space journalist” who grew up in Friendswood right next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake and whose parents were both engineers who worked on the space shuttle program, is the ideal person to tell the story of the first women to fly in space. On Wednesday, Sept. 13 at the Federal Reserve Bank, Grush will speak about The Six as a guest of the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston.
“I grew up in a community that was very close to space,” says Grush, who at the time, didn’t think what her parents did for a living was “cool,” and was more interested in storytelling, using a camcorder to create narrative videos. But as Grush began to craft a career in journalism, and friends and colleagues expressed curiosity about her unique childhood, she gained a new appreciation for the science of space travel and decided to dedicate herself to writing about space. “It’s been a fulfilling and full circle experience,” says Grush.
Throughout The Six, whether describing the intricacies of steering a high-powered T-38 jet in high altitudes, or how record-low temperatures contributed to the cause of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, Grush makes the science and technology of space exploration accessible to the lay reader, without the need of footnotes or a glossary of terms. “I’ve always likened myself to a translator,” says Grush regarding how engineers often speak in “code” and with an abundance of acronyms. “Sometimes it’s difficult when you’ve been in a beat for so long because you start to talk that way too. But it’s my job to explain things in a way that people will understand if they’re coming to space for the first time.”
In the years after the Apollo 11 landing, it was commonly accepted that only male military test pilots had the right stuff for space travel. But that changed in 1977 when NASA rolled out plans for a new type of space vehicle, a “space shuttle” that would make regular trips into space and back, with crews made up of people from a range of disciplines, including scientists, engineers, and doctors. After years of avoiding the issue of discrimination based on gender and race, the agency campaigned for women and people of color to apply to the program, regardless of their experience with piloting. NASA was catching up with the times. Before that, half of the women among “the six” were not focused on becoming astronauts but on careers they believed were attainable.
One reason why Grush wanted to shine a light on all six astronauts is that the first woman in space could have easily been any one of them.
“I’m fascinated by the ‘what ifs?’” says Grush. “Throughout the book, you see the lineup changes pretty drastically. We could have easily had a different first American woman in space.” (Before Ride, Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkov was the first woman to fly in space.) The seemingly random nature behind deciding who gets to fly and when will hit home for readers with knowledge of the Challenger disaster, a doomed flight that included Resnik among the crew. “With hindsight, those decisions seem much more fateful,” says Grush.
Author Loren Grush (photo by Christopher White)
Sally Ride and Anna Fisher (NASA photo scanned by J.L. Pickering)
Coinciding with the publication of The Six is NASA’s ambitious Artemis moon exploration program which, after a lunar flyby scheduled for 2024, will put the first woman (Christina Koch) and person of color (Victor Glover) on the moon in 2025. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the scourge of gender and racial discrimination continues to rear its head, making the history Grush tells in The Six more timely than ever. But NASA’s better-late-than-never commitment to inclusivity and diversity has had a positive and profound impact beyond the space program. “Opening up these programs means you’ll find some really special people that you would have missed otherwise,” says Grush. “Once one wall comes down in a profession, you start to wonder, well, why is there a wall for others?”
Ope Amosu (third from left) and team
Downtown’s POST Houston, a space intertwined with the legacy of Barbara Jordan, will serve as the canvas for empowering experiences that encourage guests to delve into their identities, challenge stereotypes, and reclaim their heritage. The name Chopd & Stewd is a play on the iconic Houston-born Chopped and Screwed music genre, while also playing homage to the ChòpnBlock brand, and stew, a popular West African dish.
The festival promises “Eats, Speaks, Trades and Beats.” So expect a full day of culinary immersion and education, engaging dialog, gourmet fare, vibrant music, wellness programs and more. The fest was curated by Ope Amosu, the visionary behind ChòpnBlọk and creative director Zainob Amao, founder of AMAO, a cross-disciplinary creative consultancy.
“The festival shines a light on Houston's relationship with West Africa and emphasizes cultural unification, diversity, and inclusion. We’re excited to be building this with Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (HFTC),” Amosu stated in a press release.
Chopd & Stewd weaves together a tapestry of experiences through four thematic threads including a C4 Smart Energy wellness zone, culinary village, speaking events, shopping markets, and live music.
In the Eats department, the onsite culinary village hosted on POST Skylawn’s rooftop park will offer music, cocktails and a lineup of chefs. Houston’s own Greg Gatlin of Gatlin’s BBQ and Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers, Courtney Lindsay of Mo’Betta Brews and Houston Hot Sauce Co, Keisha Griggs of Kuji Kitchen, plus Brooklyn Suya, an African restaurant from New York City, are a few participants.
Modeled after the iconic RocNation brunch, ChopNation, the flagship event is The ChòpnBlok Nation VIP Evening Brunch. It will be presented by a lineup of celebrity and James Beard nominated chefs from the African Diaspora. Featured culinary talent includes ChòpnBlọk Founder, Ope Amosu, Eric Adjepong (Bravo’s Top Chef), Tolu Eros (Ilé Eros – Los Angeles), Serigne Mbaye (Dakar – New Orleans), and Mawa McQueen (Mawa’s Kitchen – Aspen).
Porch Talks will be organized by Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy hosted in CAMHLAB Freedmen's Town at POST. Engage in captivating narratives about cultural preservation and interconnected histories.
The Artisan Workshops will entail group sessions led by talented creatives who are passionate about the intersection of commerce and culture. Òrêké Market will be set up as a vibrant, bustling marketplace with a collection of artisan vendors. Vendors include Ayo Foods, the first nationalized West African frozen food brand.
Music will be a major component of the fest. Visitors may experience an AfroVibes yoga session and an AfroBeats dance-off led by Ilekan Athletics’ Afrobeats instructors. The culminating Sounds of Motherland event will be a musical countdown to Nigerian Independence Day with live sets by DJs Big Reeks and Tay Powers on POST’S rooftop.
Four levels of passes are available at various price points, from $45-$395 for all-access. A portion of all festival proceeds are benefitting Plant It Forward and Birthright Africa. Full ticketing details and more information available here.
West African stew
The marketplace at POST