Mayor Mangat and the Lafayette City Council signed a proclamation declaring April 19, 2022, to be Astronaut Jessica Watkins Day in Lafayette, Colorado. NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins was born in Gaithersburg, Maryland, but considers Lafayette, her hometown. She is set to make history on her first trip to space becoming the first Black woman to complete a long-term space station mission.
Astronaut Jessica Watkins is part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4, which also includes University of Colorado graduate, NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren; NASA astronaut Bob Hines; and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Christoforetti. The group will spend six months in the microgravity laboratory, scheduled to launch no later than April 23.
The City’s proclamation states that “becoming an astronaut was something Dr. Watkins had dreamed about since childhood, and Dr. Watkins hopes other young girls and children of color see what she has accomplished and are inspired to pursue their dreams and never give up.” Dr. Watkins’ vision aligns with our City’s strategic priorities of being a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community along with the City’s commitment to building a community of diversity and inclusiveness through our actions, our words, our activities, and our policies.
Declaring April 19 as Astronaut Jessica Watkins Day is an exciting moment in history where we celebrate astronaut Jessica Watkins’ successes and the fact that she is from Lafayette with being the first Black woman to join the International Space Station. The City applauds her and looks forward to watching the launch. Learn more about the NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Flight and astronaut Jessica Watkins on NASA’s website.