“To boldly go where no person has gone before”

I guess you could call me a Trekkie.

Years before Star Wars, I was watching re-runs of the futuristic space drama ‘Star Trek’.

Not for the deep thought provoking parallel messages to what was going on during the 1960s.

I just thought it was a cool show!

The 1960s were a rich time for history. A turbulent time. A transitional time for civil rights.

The original “Star Trek” TV series with its multicultural, multiracial cast was creator Gene Roddenberry’s message to viewers that in the far-off future — the 23rd century — all peoples of all colors could work together for the common good. For the record, I was only 6 months old when the iconic TV series began on NBC in 1966.

One of the most unlikely Trekkies was Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Yes, THE civil rights leader.

In 1967, Nichelle Nichols was on the brink of walking away from her role as Lieutenant Uhura (AH-WHO- RUH) on the iconic TV series Star Trek. During an interview years later, Nichols confessed that her first love was musical theatre. So being on Broadway was really her dream, not a Hollywood backlot filming a quirky out-of-this-world space show.

Nichols met Reverend King at a civil rights gathering in 1967. Being a fan, King praised Nichols for her role on Star Trek. “When I told Dr King that I was going to miss my co-stars and I was leaving the show after just one season, he became very serious.” ‘You cannot do that!  Seriously, you’ve changed the face of television forever, and therefore, you’ve changed the minds of people,” the civil rights leader shared with Ms Nichols. “(Plus) this is the only show that my wife Coretta and I will allow our little children to stay up and watch.” Nichols continued on with her iconic (ground-breaking) role as Lieutenant Uhura in the now iconic TV series. Not to mention future Star Trek movies and tons of public appearances until her death in 2022 at the age of 89.

Bestselling author James Clear reflects…

“We all play roles in life. Some have more lines than others, some get more stage time than others, but everyone can be a role model for their values, principles, and beliefs. When performed with compassion and enthusiasm, any job can shift the hearts and minds of the people it touches. There are people who make each day a work of art by the way they do their work. There are unsung teachers who shift the minds of children, garbage men who keep society running smoothly, grocery store clerks who bring a smile to the face of people in the checkout line, and unknown artists who create beauty for a handful of fans. It’s not about what you do, it’s about how you do it.

What seems ordinary to you can be amazing to someone else. What seems boring or monotonous or trivial can shape the worldview of another person. Your actions create ripples in a pond—even if you never see them reach the shore. You’ve been given this moment and it’s an opportunity to do something. So do something.”   Source: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/what-martin-luther-king-taught-star-trek-actor-nichelle-nichols-about-representation/8wntuxr9r

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female,

for you are all one in Christ Jesus”    -Galatians 3:28 ESV

So, what is YOUR five year mission?

-Verne