When young Mae Jemison is asked by her teacher what she wants to be when she grows up, African American Mae tells her mostly white classmates that she wants to be an astronaut, a dream that her parents wholeheartedly support. Mae wanted to be an astronaut. She dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering. Her parents encouraged her, saying, "If you believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible." This encouragement, along with Mae's own curiosity, intelligence, and determination, paved the way for her to become the first African American woman to travel in space.