Space, the final frontier of fashion, as well as unexplored mysteries and possibilities. Nichelle Nichols first joined the crew of his USS Enterprise in 1966 as her Nyota Uhura. This character will soon change history.

At first, “Star Trek” felt like a cheap little show cobbled together on NBC to fill the airspace and show people a campy space show. Instead, it proved to be a ship that not only showed us the future we could have in the next 100 years, but also the future we could create now.

During the show’s first airing, the civil rights movement was in full swing. Having gotten the role she wanted, Nicholls was perfectly ready to leave the show until her soothing voice told her to stay in. That voice was the leader of the civil rights movement. It belonged to the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. He told her that “Star Trek” was the only show he allowed his daughters to watch late because it showed black women in power. equality. This prompted her to stay on the show and share her first interracial kiss on national television.

The rest is history.

When God lifted Nichols up into heaven, we left her an amazing legacy. It brought black girls like me into STEM and also interested in her fantastical looks. I was. A fusion of 60’s and 70’s style hairstyles and colorful makeup. This is especially seen in her art on the cover of Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance.

A shining galaxy horse, diamonds covering her body, and a dark background suggestive of endless space. This is Cosmic Girl Black’s excellence at its highest potential and could not have been created without pioneer Nicholls leading the way. He inspired artists such as Doja Cat for “Planet Her”, especially the video for the song “Kiss Me More”.

Finally, we have Rihanna, the black pop princess who sang “Sledgehammer” in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond. In this video, instead of portraying herself as Uhura or a Starfleet human, Rihanna appears as an alien.

The contribution Nicholls left to us is legendary, and has inspired many, as well as myself. was her boundary-breaking role. Of all the souls I knew, her soul was the most human.