When I'm asked about the relevance to Black people of what I do, I take that as an affront. It presupposes that Black people have never been involved in exploring the heavens, but this is not so. Ancient African empires - Mali, Songhai, Egypt - had scientists, astronomers. The fact is that space and its resources belong to all of us, not to any one group.

My parents were comfortable with me exploring areas that they were not proficient in. Some parents just aren't comfortable with that.

The arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity.

The thing that I have done throughout my life is to do the best job that I can and to be me.

Sciences provide an understanding of a universal experience, Arts are a universal understanding of a personal experience... they are both a part of us and a manifestation of the same thing... the arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity

When God made the color purple, God was just showing off.

I always knew I'd go to space.