Katya Echazerita captured headlines in 2022,

when she became the first Mexican-born woman in space

after being selected by space for humanity for a mission to analyze the overview effect.

But in Katia's case, the road there is as awe-inspiring as the destination.

We talk about the bias she's confronted as a Latina engineer everywhere from college to the halls of NASA.

How going to space changes you?

And her advice for any Latina who feels she's being asked to compromise who

she is in order to be taken seriously.

Katya, I'm so excited that we're getting to have this conversation because our audience has specifically requested that I speak with you.

So it makes me so happy when we actually are able to deliver on that for them.

Yay! I'm so glad to hear that.

Katya, you were born in Guadalajara.

You moved to the U.S. when you're seven.

What is the earliest manifestation of your love for STEM?

Honestly, it's probably my first word.

It was in Spanish, and it was, because I can't really say it too well. So it was like,

poque, what okay, which really is at the base. Like that is the root of scientific thinking.

It's just wanting to understand and wanting to question everything. And I remember my mom,

she's told me these stories so many times about how she

would get so annoyed and just so over it because I wouldn't stop. She would answer. And then I'd be like,

well, then why that? And she would end up running away and hiding in the bathroom. And she could just

see my little hands like underneath the door being like, mommy, why are the bathroom. And she could just see my little hands, like, underneath the door, being like,

...