At a time when gender-based violence against women and children has emerged as a concern in local media, the NCB Foundation (NCBF) has set out to empower women and girls through a screening of the movie “Hidden Figures” inviting women only.
The critically acclaimed and box office smash hit, “Hidden Figures” uncovers the story of a group of three African-American female professionals whose contribution to historic work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), until now, was virtually unknown. Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were the brains behind the launch of a male astronaut, John Glenn, into orbit. Despite racial strife and segregation, among other challenges, the women defied gender and racial lines to inspire generations of men and women. Their work single-handedly turned around the ‘Space Race’ between the United States and the then Soviet Union (USSR), now Russia.
The premiere hosted at Palace Amusement location, Carib 5 on Wednesday, February 1, was well-attended by female government officers, top-ranking executives and heads of business, media practitioners, students from schools within NCB’s ‘Adopt-a-School’ network, as well as employees, partners and suppliers of the NCB Group.
Nadeen Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of the philanthropic arm of National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB) noted the importance of using a film that carries a message of women, especially black women, as strong, educated, resourceful and equal participants in shaping society.
“Women have always been involved in the greatest moments in history but their stories are not often told or given the same attention as that of their male counterparts. This movie is a welcomed difference and a timely intervention considering the climate of hurt that women and girls now face. It really is about education through entertainment, which aligns with the Foundation’s focus on education as tool for development. We believe that, through this movie about inspirational women who fought against odds stacked against them to contribute to the development of science and thought; we can encourage and embolden women. If we can get at least one girl or woman to step into her truth as a world-changer, to think positively about herself and believe she is capable of achieving greatness, then society will be that much better for it,” Matthews said.
“Hidden Figures is about black women who represent some of the brightest minds of a darker time in world history. They put their knowledge to use in the most impressive of ways and for the betterment of a society that did not value them as much as should have been the case. This kind of selflessness and display of nationhood is what we are all about at NCB. And, though we have much work to do in Jamaica when it comes to equality and equity for women and girls, this is an opportunity to say to them, ‘hey, we believe in you and you are much more than your circumstances’,” Matthews continued.
The select group of women and girls targeted for the event builds on the findings of the International Monetary Fund which reported that empowering women is smart economics, as well as the World Bank, which notes that unless women are able to earn, learn and participate equally, the families they care for will remain in poverty.
The NCB Group, through the Foundation, continues to design corporate social responsibility initiatives that seek to secure a population of purpose, transformation and endless possibilities.