McDougle: Never met her, and it didn’t matter. I still would have taken good care of her because I wanted her to do well and feel safe. I felt her suit and training should have been her last worry. I treat all my crew members the same way, but I never felt so passionate about an assignment. I told my lead, “I’m suiting up Mae.” That was the only time I’ve ever done that.I mentioned that in my speech when she called me on the stage. I told the audience about that, and they all laughed. I said, “‘Oh yes, I’m suiting up Mae. No matter what anybody says.’” Here it is, Women of Color [shows pamphlet]. Even in this book she mentions our names. She made me feel so wonderful. That was the gala she had in 2006. She has a foundation for her mother, the Dorothy Jemison Foundation.
Ross-Nazzal: Yes, we went up to her office in Houston.
McDougle: She had a booklet, she called it a flight logbook. It was awesome—and I didn’t know my name was in it. I’m thinking it’s just like a little memento, a keepsake, and then one of my girlfriends was thumbing through it and found it. Nichelle Nichols was there—Uhura from Star Trek—Nikki Giovanni, all these awesome women. Then she has me in the same category. Oh my God.
Ross-Nazzal: Well, you played an important role.
McDougle: Suit tech, pilot, astronaut. Like I said, that’s just how she is. Something I admired so much about her, too, was she was very smart. If you just walked up to her and didn’t know who she was you would never feel intimidated by her brilliance, her education. She would girl talk with me, “Girl, how you doing?” Then she’ll turn right around, talk to an astronaut, and become very technical, using words I hadn’t heard before. And she also spoke several languages.I hadn’t even read all of her bio. When I finally did, I was just like, “I can’t believe I’m working with this woman. I’m helping her suit up.” I was honored, I really was. I was trying to say, “I’m doing it to take care of her,” just thinking of her as another astronaut that just happened to be a black woman. Then I started looking at everything she’s accomplished, and I was just so proud. I felt like, “This is my big sister, and she’s so awesome. I just want to be near her, just bask in some of her glory.” For her to be so cool on top of that, and not be snooty or anything—because she had every right to be. She could have easily had the attitude, “You’re just my suit tech; I’m not talking to you, just do your job.”I’ve had a few astronauts—not to that extreme, but just very quiet. I’d help them with their gear, “Yes sir, okay sir, how does that feel sir?” But with my personality I usually break the ice and get them to joke around a little bit, because I’m like, “We’re going to be stuck with each other throughout your mission; we’re going to have to have some kind of conversation when we’re working togetherMae was just a normal person, but then in the next moment she can be super doctor scientist, and then come right back to you and not miss a beat. “Girl, so what happened yesterday?” She probably saw me dumbfounded a few times. It’s English, but the words aren’t clear. I’m like, “Is that Mae?” Sometimes I’d go back and look up some of the words I heard her use. I was very impressed. She’s in a league of her own.
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