In 1993, Ochoa broke the astronautical glass ceiling by becoming the first Latina astronaut to go to space. She told LATINA that the views of Earth aboard STS-56/Space Shuttle Discovery were “even more vivid than what you can get from photos that astronauts bring back.” Since then, this Mexican-American pioneer has been a steadfast advocate for Latinas and minorities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, or STEM, fields.

Ellen Ochoa and her family before STS 110 Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2002. Photograph courtesy of Ellen Ochoa.

Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1958, and raised in La Mesa, Ochoa went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in physics from San Diego State University in 1980 graduating Phi Beta Kappa. It wasn’t until she was in graduate school where she earned a master of science degree and a doctorate from Standford in 1981 and 1985, respectively, that she felt the calling to become an astronaut. As a doctoral student in electrical engineering, she witnessed the first flight of the space shuttle and, shortly after, the historic flight of Sally Ride. “That was a huge moment, the first American woman in space,” Ochoa said. It was a moment in time that would go on to shape her career path.

Ochoa joined the ranks of NASA in 1988 as a research engineer at the Ames Research Center: during which time she earned three patents for her innovative work with optical systems. In 1990, she was selected to be an astronaut and moved to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.. She joined NASA’s Astronaut Corps in 1991, paving the way for her monumental space flight in 1993. 

Soon after, Ochoa worked on three subsequent missions: the STS-66/Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1994; STS-96/Space Shuttle Discovery in 1999; and STS-110/Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2002. “All [the missions] were really exciting, and I was thrilled to be there,” Ochoa said. She logged over 1,000 hours in orbit across the four missions. Her jobs ranged from being a robotic arm operator to studying the Earth’s atmosphere.

Ellen Ochoa photographed Inside a Mission Control Center. Photograph courtesy of Ellen Ochoa.

Her mission aboard the STS-96/Space Shuttle Discovery in ’99 was groundbreaking, as it was the first docking to the International Space Station (ISS).

This space trailblazer set another milestone as the first Hispanic and second female director of the Johnson Space Center (JSC) which she called, “A huge privilege.” She served as the 11th Director from January 2013 to May 2018, about which she said: “During the time I was director, we focused on finishing assembling the [ISS]. [After that], we focused on making it more productive and getting more science and technology experiments on board.” 

Ochoa retired from spacecraft operations in 2007 and in 2018 she retired from federal service as Director of NASA’s JSC. Today, at 63, she lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and two sons. While many know Ochoa as a veteran astronaut, she is also a classical flutist. She even had the opportunity to play the flute aboard the space shuttle Discovery’s flight deck in April 1993.

She currently serves as the chair of the National Science Board and travels around the world doing speaking engagements as a STEM education advocate. Despite her efforts, Hispanics continue to be underrepresented in the field, accounting for only 8 percent of the STEM workforce, a number “substantially lower than their 17% share of all employed,” according to Pew Research Center. Ochoa wants to change that.

Her passion for education has led her to speaking engagements at different schools or after-school programs, “often made up of Hispanic students,” Ochoa noted, to get them interested in STEM. “That’s something I’ve had the opportunity to do for almost 30 years now.” 

STS-56 Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa plays the flute in the space shuttle Discovery’s aft flight deck in April 1993. Photograph courtesy of Ellen Ochoa.

Space news is ever-changing the trajectory of space exploration with breakthrough updates highlighted across recent news releases from NASA. Ochoa still keeps up with the latest happenings, from the innovative accomplishments of the Mars 2020 Perseverance team to the Inspiration4: the first all-civilian mission to space. “This is exactly what we were hoping for,” Ochoa said.“NASA started signing contracts with companies to provide services a good 15 years ago. First, to deliver cargo to the [ISS] and then to deliver crew. In the end, [these companies] will help NASA and develop a whole new space economy. I think this is the year we’re finally seeing that happening.” 

Ochoa has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including six schools across the country that bear her name and several awards from NASA. She was also recognized with The Hispanic Engineer Albert Baez Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution to Humanity. In 2017, she was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. There’s also a  Peacock original documentary she’s featured in titled “True Colors,” showcasing the stories of eight Latino trailblazers across various fields. In 2020, Ochoa’s story came to life in a bilingual children’s book published by Lil’ Libros, “The Solar System with / El Sistema solar con Ellen.” In January 2022, Lil’ Libros acquired “world rights” to a bilingual five-board book Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) series researched and written by Ochoa. 

As a member of an elite group of Latinos who have ventured to outer space, Ochoa feels fortunate to have her story shared across various mediums, and hopes that it will reach a broader audience. “Students are still trying to figure out what directions they may want to go, and I hope [my story] inspires them to think big.” 

Ochoa told LATINA that she feels grateful for her career. She is someone we can all share pride in, not only for her innovative work but also as a figure of hope for future Latinx generations, evidence that a STEM career is within their reach, and perhaps even space exploration.

The trailblazer’s message to young Latinos dreaming of following in her footsteps: “We need you. We need your brains and your hard work and your dedication.”

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Alongside his work with FIEL, Espinosa seeks justice for immigrant families and aims to educate the community on a wide range of issues. “Our mission is to seek justice for the community at large. Anything from having forums to talking to the community on issues like education, health, immigration, COVID, and disaster relief,” Espinosa told LATINA. 

The activist Cesar Espinosa. Photograph courtesy of Espinosa.

Espinosa, who immigrated with his family from Mexico City, Mexico, in 1991 at age six, knows all too well the struggles immigrants face as they search for their American dream and a better life here in the United States. “Growing up, I always knew I was undocumented,” Espinosa, who has lived in Houston all his life, told Latina. However, it wasn’t until his senior year that he realized his status would impede his ability to garner scholarships and financial aid.

In 2004, Espinosa started organizing regular meetings with other undocumented youth to provide them with tools to access higher education. “A few years later, we began what’s now FIEL, which is the largest, immigrant-led organization. It was kinda all by accident,” he said, of a time during which he was not only finding ways to advocate for himself as an undocumented student, but also the community at large. 

It’s no secret that there are unprecedented numbers of immigrants crossing the border to escape the brutal realities of home. According to the nonprofit and civic initiative USAFacts, “Immigration accounts for roughly half of the yearly population growth in the U.S., and immigrants make up for nearly 15% of the U.S. population.”

In an article by the investigative reporter Robert Arnold on the backlog of cases in immigration court, Espinosa points out that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security miscalculates the extent of the problems migrants face fleeing from a country corrupt with poverty, crime, and an ongoing pandemic. 

Espinosa’s Efforts to Reunite the Escobar Family

Imagine spending 17 years creating a life in the United States, only to have it ripped apart by deportation to an unfamiliar country. This was the reality of José Escobar, who was deported in 2017. His wife, Rose Escobar, was left to pick up the pieces of her husband’s deportation and find a way to bring him back home. Espinosa was instrumental in these efforts.

The Escobars were torn apart by an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump that gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, the right to detain unauthorized immigrants, including those without criminal records. According to an article by “The Intercept,” José Escobar was “one of more than 40,000 people arrested” by ICE between January and May 2017 under what Trump called his “bad hombres” pledge. 

According to Rose Escobar, her husband lost his status as a legal resident when he was a teenager after his mother missed a deadline for renewal. He came under scrutiny in 2006 when he tried to re-apply; an immigration court had already issued a removal. The husband, father of two young children, and supervisor of a painting company was granted tenuous permission to stay in the U.S. The caveat was that he was required to check in annually. All that changed in 2017. 

The Escobar family. Photograph courtesy of Cesar Espinosa.

José Escobar was deported back to his birthplace of El Salvador following a routine check-in on March 2, 2017. Rose Escobar recalled the events that unfolded that day for LATINA: “My husband got a letter stating we had to go in to see the immigration officer, but I didn’t understand why because we had already done our mutual check-in.” She knew something was wrong when they took her husband to the back and didn’t allow her to go with him: “They dragged me and my daughter [who] was in my arms out of the building, and they just closed the door.” 

Escobar reached out to Espinosa for guidance on what to do regarding her husband’s case, as she had many times in the past. The two first met in 2011. At the time, the young activist told her: “I know I look young, but I got this.” Espinosa worked steadfastly to ensure the Escobar’s story made national headlines and lobbied congressional leaders to advocate for the family.

“You know how they say if you can tell your story without crying, you’re healed? I’m still there,” Rose Escobar told LATINA. I could still hear the pain in her voice describing those agonizing years her family went through. She credits Espinosa for helping her husband remain in the country over the years through his knowledge of immigrants’ rights. Rose recalled Espinosa telling her, “You’re not alone; you’ve been here before. There’s a big community that’s going to be here for you. Rose, you got this.” 

On July 1, 2019, José Escobar was granted a visa to return home. Today, he is six months away from taking his oath of citizenship.  This story is just one of many cases showcasing the determination of a young trailblazer like Espinosa, who stands ready to fight for his community in any way he can.  

Jose greets his wife Rosa as she arrives in El Salvador to visit him from Houston for the first time since his deportation. Jose Escobar has been deported, he is the father of two, had no criminal record, and temporary protection from deportation but it was removed under President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration enforcement. Photograph courtesy of Cesar Espinosa.

A Catalyst for Change

“Sometimes, as a Latino culture, we seem to not want to speak out or not stir the pot in many ways, and that’s what we hear from many of our community members,” Espinosa said. However, it can be a real “catalyst change,” says Espinosa. 

In July 2021, FIEL provided a survey analysis report centering on the challenges Latino communities in Houston faced during the pandemic. Issues like growing concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine were at the forefront of the study. “One of the most prominent findings we encountered is that about 87% of surveyed people don’t have access to the internet or a laptop,” Espinosa said. However, he also found that people are willing to talk about their concerns if you take the time to meet with them. 

Moments like this can empower the Latino community to speak up and share their experiences as an example for others to come forward. He cited the 2021 case of Juan Martinez Jr. a 15-year-old beaten in his school cafeteria and captured in a viral video, as an example. “In this particular case, we now have a lot of parents coming forward because their children have faced the same situation,” Espinosa said. 

Espinosa alongside other community leaders including the late John Lewis. Photograph courtesy of Cesar Espinosa.

Espinosa and his work are gaining attention. In 2021, “The Houston Chronicle” recognized him in a series highlighting Latinos who make a difference in their communities. Still, there’s nothing ordinary about the scenarios Espinosa faces daily. “One of the parts that I enjoy about the work we do is we don’t know where we’re going to end up at the end of the day. As weird as that sounds, it’s one of the most exciting parts about what we do,” Espinosa said. A day of office work can quickly turn into chasing down elected officials,  to calling the Red Cross to assist residents affected by an apartment fire.

Espinosa notes daily challenges and sacrifices, but those don’t detract from his goal of being an unwavering resource for his community. “We seek to hopefully start moving the community dialogue so that other people can come forward and we can seek justice together. Espinosa said. “We hope to help craft policies so that an organization like FIEL doesn’t have to exist one day.” 

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