Dana's Storyby Dana, San Francisco, CA |
In this video, Dana narrates her own success story. You can watch it by clicking on the embedded video shown below. This video is captioned, and the transcript is also provided below. Also provided below are a text description of the visuals in the video and the credits. Get the Flash Player to see this video.
I’m half latina and half asian and began living with my adopted family at 2 months old. My parents had one biological son and the rest of us (3 girls and 1 boy) came from four different families. An odd mix, but it worked well. Don’t know the official name nor the cause of my disability, but I was born with no arms and no legs. I’m grateful that my family always treated me as “normal.” I was mainstreamed at age 5 and early on, my parents instilled in me the belief that I can do whatever I set out to do. In high school, I joined the marching band, got my driver’s license at age 16, took college prep courses, and went to a few formal dances. Basically, I was just like any other teenager struggling to become an adult. After high school, I went away to college and in 1993, earned a Bachelor in Science in Mechanical Engineering. My first engineering job was as a Payload Safety Engineer with NASA Kennedy Space Center. I’m now in my 14th year with NASA, with the majority of my service at Ames Research Center. There were many factors that contributed to my success. First, I knew early I wanted to be an engineer, mainly because of the equipment I used to be independent…artificial arms at age 2, an electric wheelchair at age 3, and a hand control-equipped van at age 16. From the basic design of my arms to the more complex design of my chair, it’s all beautiful and without this equipment, I would not be the person I am today. Second, I never let others limit my goals. While there were plenty of people out there who pitied me, I focused on family, friends, and mentors who loved me and saw me as a powerful being. Furthermore, as a woman of color with a disability, I fell outside the status quo, resulting in limited positive images for me to relate to in popular culture. I had to create my own image of becoming an engineer, which would ultimately lead to the economic power to remain independent. Third, I took advantage of opportunities. From college prep programs in high school, to engineering groups in college, all were instrumental in giving me a leg up in life. Finally, while it’s clear that hard work is needed for success, it’s equally important to stay well balanced. I’ve always believed in the necessity of love, family, good friends, and fun to balance out all the hard work in life. Though I love my job, I live to experience everything… all in the good company of those I love. If I had to sum up my advice in a few sentences, I’d say to live a huge life. Explore the possibilities and go after your dreams, no matter what obstacles are in the way. This digital story uses a series of still photographs to illustrate the narrative. Thus, when Dana talks about her childhood, the viewer is presented with a series of family portraits of her with her siblings, of her parents, and of her riding a pony with her sister. When talking about her education, shown are a photo of her swinging a jump-rope in primary school, followed by a portrait from high school, a newspaper clipping showing that she was named queen of a formal dance, and finally a photo of her in cap and gown at her college graduation. As Dana tells about her first job at NASA, there is a magazine clipping that cites her saying, “I never thought I'd be working at NASA. I've been here six months and I'm just now beginning to realize what's going on. There's so much.” Then, as she speaks about her adaptive equipment, there are several photos that clearly show Dana using her artificial arms and wheelchair. When Dana talks about friends, family, and mentors, several images appear showing her in other people's company. Then, there is a photo of her with a model of a jet airplane as she talks about her image as an engineer. While describing the opportunities she had in college, the logos of three college groups that supported her appear on screen: the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHIP), Mexican-American Engineers and Scientists (MAES), and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Dana concludes by discussing the importance of enjoying herself, and photos appear showing her parasailing, riding a motorcycle, and playing billiards. There is then a montage of photos of her with friends and family, including one with her riding a hand operated bicycle that she used to complete the 60 mile walk for breast cancer. The story concludes with a photo of her working at a community event with children, showing two young girls an image of an astronaut as she says that they should go after their dreams. The photo then fades to credits.
Written and narrated by Dana. Jump-rope photo from The Pointer 22(2). 1977. Lavender and Lace photo from "Dana Crowned Queen." Voice of Norwalk High 28(4). 1986. First job photo from "The sky's the limit for Dana." Inside CSULB 48(4). 1996. Music by Kevin MacLeod. |
