Dr. Jedidah Isler is an award-winning astrophysicist, TED Fellow, and a nationally recognized speaker and advocate for inclusive STEM education. In this narrative she shares the story of how she became the first black woman to earn a PhD in astrophysics from Yale and her deep belief in the value of diversity to science and other STEM fields. She is also the creator and host of the monthly web series “Vanguard: Conversations with Women of Color in STEM.”