Amanda Nguyen, a social entrepreneur and civil rights activist, is set to become the first Vietnamese woman in space. 

Key points:

• Nguyen, 32, will be flying to space aboard aerospace company Blue Origin’s upcoming launch on the New Shepard rocket. 

The details:

• The activist is going to space as part of a sponsorship by Space for Humanity, a Denver-based non-profit organization that sponsors leaders on spaceflights to foster a transformative shift in perspective. Their Citizen Astronaut Program aims to empower each citizen astronaut to address global challenges with a broader outlook.
• In a press release, Antonio Peronace, executive director of Space for Humanity, lauded Nguyen’s upcoming journey as a symbol of “strength, passion and brilliance,” aligning with the organization’s mission to democratize space and promote global interconnectivity. 
• Nguyen, known for her advocacy work, emphasized shared values and visions for the future. “Together, we’re committed to changing the way we all think about the cosmos, each other, and humanity’s future. I look forward to my journey to space as well as our continued journey to a brighter and better future,” she said.
• No specific date for the New Shepard launch has been announced. 

 

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About Nguyen: 

• Nguyen graduated from Harvard University and interned at NASA in 2013. She worked at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian and later served as the deputy White House liaison for the U.S. Department of State.
• In 2014, Nguyen founded Rise, a non-governmental civil rights organization that is dedicated to protecting the civil rights of sexual assault and rape survivors. Nguyen, who was raped while attending college in Massachusetts, helped draft the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act, which establishes statutory rights in federal code for survivors of sexual assault and rape. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2016.
• Nguyen, also known for her advocacy for Asian American rights, was a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize nominee and a Time Woman of the Year in 2022.