“Hidden Figures” a poem by Yvette Perry
For Dr. Kimberly Gregory, Director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the story of Henrietta Lacks prompts both professional and personal reflections.
Professionally, Lacks’ story represents for her the need to critically examine our research infrastructure generally. “We need to pay more attention to the sustainability of research,” she explained. “Private companies benefit from publicly-funded research without a requirement to give back to ensure the viability of future research.”
Personally, Dr. Gregory sees in Lacks’ story the persistence and brilliance of Black people in America. Invoking a memorable scene from her favorite movie, Hidden Figures, Dr. Gregory reflects on her own father, who worked as an engineer, and countless other Black trailblazers—many whose stories are still untold. Through her mentoring work she aims to ensure that there are brilliant people who will come behind her.
Yvette Perry, Listener Poet
Listener Poet Session
January 2025
Hidden Figures
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed,
or hidden that will not be made known. ~Luke, 12:2-3
Our brilliance,
our resilience,
our pain and our joy
—all part of our stories
Histories we know about,
figures still hidden,
contributions misattributed:
We have been entrusted
to serve as story-tellers
Maybe the story is of a cadre of Black women
responding to Executive Order 8802 by
calculating the numbers that helped launch an
American man into the heavens
and set him safely back on Earth
Or the story of Henrietta Lacks—
a woman, a wife, a mother, a friend, a patient—
whose immortal cells have been made metaphor
illuminating our power to persevere
even when we’re supposed to perish
We tell the stories
We learn the lessons
We nurture those coming behind us
who’ll be the story-tellers after we’re gone
Brilliance, resilience, pain, joy
They may try to erase us,
but our truth will always prevail
