Hidden Minifigures: LEGO Launching “Women of NASA” toy set

LEGO – 2017(DENMARK) — It’s one very tiny step for womenkind: in the wake of the hit movie Hidden Figures — which highlighted a group of real-life African American women’s contributions to the U.S. space program — LEGO announced it will sell a “Women of NASA” set of its Minifigures.

The idea was the brainchild of Maia Weinstock, a science writer and editor, who submitted to LEGO that the company should highlight, among others, the efforts of Katherine Johnson, the trajectory expert who helped launch John Glenn into space. Johnson appeared in the flesh at the Oscars on Sunday night. Taraji P. Henson played Johnson in the film.

Weinstock also wanted LEGO to recognize Sally Ride, the first American woman in space; Margaret Hamilton, an MIT computer scientist who developed the flight software for the Apollo craft; astronaut and physicist Nancy Grace Roman, and Mae Jemison, an entrepreneur, astronaut, and doctor who was the first African-American woman in space.

“We’re really excited to be able to introduce Maia’s “Women of NASA” set for its inspirational value as well as build and play experience,” a rep for the company noted.  The rep hoped, like Weinstock did, that the toys will inspire girls to pursue careers in STEM — that is, science, technology, engineering, and math.

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