Tabisa Taliwaku Kalisa Portrait

"I still can't get over the fact that I actually work at NASA. If you had told the little girl years ago who was watching the shuttle launches from our family room in Uganda, I could never believe it would be possible. "It’s been such a great journey because the rejection along the way instilled in me the humility and determination I needed to work harder and believe in myself. I learned that if I believed in myself and not take it personally, great things will come my way. I’ve worked with people who felt comfortable teaching me new things and letting me explore. Legacy is really important to me. Many who came before gave me the opportunity to have a seat at the table. Now that I am here, I want to ensure I do my best so others can get access to more opportunities and those at the table can see past their differences, and are not looked at as just a woman, or as a woman of color, but as a person who actually knows what they’re talking about." Tabisa Taliwaku Kalisa, Communications Manager in the Office of Procurement at NASA Headquarters, poses for a portrait, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Virginia. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)