To Boldly Go: Disability, Diplomacy, and Star Trek’s Vision of the Future

• Presented by Hopkins at Home •
• Featuring Amb. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, SAIS '84 (MA), and Darcie Droudt-Véjares, KSAS '18 (MA), '21 (PhD) •

Celebrate Star Trek Day 2025 with a thought-provoking discussion on the intersections of representation, inclusion, and diplomacy in Star Trek. Drawing from her essays “Disability in Intergalactic Environments” and “Words Are Here on Top: Diplomacy in Star Trek,” Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley explores how the Star Trek franchise offers a unique lens into how we imagine—and negotiate—equity across the stars. 

This conversation, moderated by Dr. Darcie Droudt-Véjares, will examine how characters like Geordi La Forge, Riva, and Melora bring disability into the heart of the Federation’s mission, while also considering how Star Trek reflects and challenges real-world models of diplomacy. Whether debating eugenics in “The Masterpiece Society” or dissecting “cowboy diplomacy” through the evolution of Starfleet captains, this program offers a compelling look at how science fiction can illuminate our collective aspirations and contradictions.