ASU to host Space2Inspire weekend featuring astronauts, space-themed art

TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - Arizona State University is gearing up to host its Space2Inspire weekend of events, including an opportunity for artists of all ages to contribute!

Headlining the events are ASU alum Sian Proctor, a SpaceX astronaut who’s the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft and first Black person to paint in space. Another guest is Ed Dwight, author, sculptor and the first Black American astronaut candidate!

Kids and adults are invited to submit their “space art” which will be shown on Sun Devil Stadium’s jumbotron during a Space2Inspire event, just one of several events between Feb. 17-19 as part of Black History Month. The goal is to encourage students to #AimHigher and dream bigger. Submit your art at this link!

Watch Proctor’s event welcome video below:

Proctor is the founder of the JEDI Space Foundation, which stands for a Just, Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive space. Her art style is afrofuturism and speaks nationally about food waste, climate change, and space technology. She is also a geoscience professor at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.

Other event attendees will include the following: Hayley Arceneaux, SpaceX astronaut; Cady Coleman, NASA Astronaut and ASU Astronaut in Resident; Nnedi Okorafor, New York Times bestselling novelist; Nicole Stott, NASA Astronaut, aquanaut, engineer and artist, and the 10th woman to conduct a spacewalk; Sara Sabry, first Egyptian astronaut.

Check out this amazing line-up of events on campus to celebrate Space2Inspire:

Friday, Feb. 17

Inspire Forever Friday will be held from 5 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. with a VIP cocktail reception, meet & greet with afrofuturism panelists and panel discussion, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” free showing, and stargazing from the stadium.

Saturday, Feb. 18

Get ready for Space Snapshot Saturday starting at 9 a.m. and lasting until 4 p.m. A volunteer mosaic assembly will kick off the day with the “Space Art” presentation on the jumbotron to follow. Through the rest of the day, Sian Proctor will read poetry and host a Black History Month panel. A book-signing will also be held, a display of the Blue Origin space capsule and other STEM/STEAM activities.

Sunday, Feb. 19

To conclude the space-filled weekend, there will be an art fundraiser lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with an astronaut-led panel about arts and humanities in space. Get your tickets here for all the events!