In a troubling incident, a NASA competition intended to spotlight young talent was marred by a group of racist hackers who sought to derail the success of an all-Black, female team. The agency was forced to halt public voting for its esteemed Optimus Prime Spinoff Promotion and Research Challenge after discovering that members of the 4chan online forum were actively campaigning to undermine the achievements of three high school students: Zoe Thompson, Maya Johnson, and Leah Carter, who are juniors at Jefferson Academic High School. These students had ingeniously developed a water filtration system designed to purify lead-contaminated drinking water, earning them a spot as one of the eight finalist teams.
4chan is notorious for its anonymous posts, often becoming a breeding ground for white supremacist ideologies and misogyny, leading to the spread of harmful conspiracy theories and racist rhetoric. The hackers expressed their disdain for the girls’ success, attributing it to what they termed “reverse racism” and “feminism.” They encouraged fellow forum users to cast their votes for other competitors instead. One contributor remarked, “NASA is getting forcibly redpilled about minority voting power,” while another suggested methods to exploit the voting system.
Upon learning of this malicious campaign, NASA promptly announced the premature closure of the public voting phase. Their statement read, “It has come to our attention that certain individuals on social media have chosen to attack a specific student team based on their race, rather than support STEM initiatives.“
The competition’s winners will be revealed later this month. Regardless of the results, acknowledging and confronting such hateful behavior is paramount; it highlights the ugliness of racism and discrimination. The three girls, who also participate in cheerleading, remain undeterred by the actions of these online bullies. They are focused on completing their high school education and aspiring to enter fields rooted in science.
Success is indeed a sweet reward, especially when faced with adversity.
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Summary
An all-Black, female team competing in a NASA science challenge faced sabotage from racist hackers on 4chan, prompting NASA to end public voting early. Despite the hateful actions, the students remain focused on their goals and education.