Amanda Nguyen is slated to become the first woman of Vietnamese descent to go to space. For the daughter of refugees who traveled to the US on small boats guided by the stars, this journey is marked with layered significance. However, for the Harvard grad, the road to space was marked by a horrible experience that took her on an unexpected detour, where she questioned whether her dream was even still possible.
While pursuing her studies at the ivy league school, Nguyen was raped. The young student decided to hold off on pressing charges since the statute of limitations for rape was 15 years. She did not feel she had the capacity to endure what could be a years-long trial. However, after completing the rape kit in the hospital, she learned after six months, the evidence would be destroyed unless she reported it to law enforcement. She did have the option of filing a request for an extension but was not given clear instructions on how to do so. The aspiring astronaut had to put her dreams of space on hold to seek justice. Amanda explained, “I knew I could not live with myself if I did not fight for these rights.”
In 2014, Nguyen founded the nonprofit organization Rise to protect the rights of sexual assault survivors. With other survivors’ and volunteers’ help and support, Nguyen petitioned lawmakers to improve the avenues of justice. In 2016, Nguyen and Rise passed the Survivor Bill of Rights, signed into law by President Obama. This law prevents survivors from being charged for medical care as a result of sexual assault. It requires law enforcement to keep evidence collected from rape kits for 20 years or the duration of the statute of limitations in the state. The 2019 nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize states, “To the survivor in me who needed justice: I have answered her. And to that child in me who wanted to touch the stars: I am answering her.”
Currently, Nguyen is focusing her energy and efforts on expanding inclusivity in space exploration. Historically, women have been looked over for space travel due to limited research on how it affects menstruation. Nguyen spends her time at NASA studying astronautics and women’s health. In response to becoming the first Vietnamese woman in space, Ngyuen comments: “I may be the first, but I certainly don’t want to be the last. My dream is so that other Vietnamese women and girls, can look to the stars and see themselves as a place where they belong as well.”
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