Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Based on true events, “Hidden Figures” tells the story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three Black women who played crucial roles in NASA’s Space Race during the Cold War.

In real life, all three women were members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a sorority currently present on Syracuse University’s campus.

“Especially in today’s age for all Black kids, but especially for young Black women, I believe movies like ‘Hidden Figures’ really encourage even more Black women and Black little girls,” Andrea-Rose Oates, president of SU’s Iota Upsilon Chapter of AKA, said.

On Feb. 27, the AKA chapter at SU held a screening and discussion of the 2016 film, “Hidden Figures,” in the Hall of Languages. The event served to recognize and honor Black History Month.

Karyne Brown, vice president of the AKA chapter at SU, said she felt it was important to broadcast this film to the greater SU community. The sisters of AKA chose this film for screening as a way to amplify Black voices, since historically, Black women have been underrepresented, especially in professional fields.

The AKA chapter at SU strives to represent the legacy and actions of the women in the film, Brown said.

“Seeing that our morals and the entirety of our chapter still align with people who were here 100 years ago, I think that’s something really, really incredible,” Brown said.

“Hidden Figures” highlights themes of breaking racial and gender barriers, and the resilience, brilliance and perseverance of Black women throughout history. These themes align with the core values that AKA upholds within their sisterhood, championing the empowerment of Black women through education, leadership and service, Naiya Green, parliamentarian of the chapter, said.

Green highlights that AKA provides various resources, such as community service and study circles, for those aspiring to embody women like Johnson, Vaughan and Jackson.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

Oates said SU’s campus community uplifts underrepresented students through safe spaces and affiliate groups, like the National Society of Black Engineers at SU. Spaces like this are crucial and important for the encouragement of underrepresented students on campus, influencing these communities to break through barriers, she said.

As vice president of the chapter, Brown said the film holds a special significance to the sorority because of how it amplifies Black voices, especially those of Black women.

“That was something we wanted to show the greater community and show that this is a historical thing for us,” Brown said. “It’s years of lineage that matters and that proves something.”

In addition to holding this screening, Oates added that they want to share not just AKA’s history, but also Black history as a whole, as Black history is a part of American history. She said this is especially important at a predominantly white institution like SU.

AKA sister Summer Green hopes attendees can take away an understanding of where they come from as a sorority and how much they’ve endured as a community. She emphasized that the events of this movie weren’t that long ago and there’s still progress to be made, especially in STEM fields.

Summer Green, the historian of the AKA chapter at SU, also emphasized the importance of why films such as “Hidden Figures” need to be shared, and how hearing the stories of those who came before can be used to build communities up.

“I was very inspired and I was built with a lot of hope and joy,” Summer Green said. “And given the current political climate, I would hope that a lot of our attendees will be reminded of that hope and joy.”

Other than an opportunity to view a biographical film, “Hidden Figures” served as a reminder to AKA members to be confident and never be afraid, Oates said.

By showcasing the achievements and contributions of women who were once also AKA members themselves, Oates highlighted how this film shows people how they can overcome barriers and obstacles, just as the women in the movie did years ago.

“I think that we are the future, and fostering that inclusivity and wanting to pursue yourself academically, you can do all that in your power,” Brown said.

Published on March 3, 2025 at 10:34 pm