"I remember growing up thinking that astronauts and their job was the coolest thing you could possibly do... But I absolutely couldn't identify with the people who were astronauts. I thought they were movie stars"

This quote by David M. Brown speaks with the idea of representation and how it can shape our dreams and aspirations. Growing up, Brown was inspired by the concept of ending up being an astronaut, however felt detached from individuals who were actually astronauts. He viewed them as movie stars, which suggests that he felt they were unattainable and out of reach. This could be due to the fact that he didn't see anyone who appeared like him in the astronaut function, or due to the fact that he felt that the job was too hard or too far away from his reality. Brown's quote speaks with the importance of representation and how it can form our dreams and goals. When we see people who appear like us in positions of power, it can provide us the confidence to pursue our own dreams and goals. Representation matters, and it can make all the difference in motivating us to reach for the stars.