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Former NASA astronaut José Hernández will share his inspirational journey from migrant farmworker to space explorer during a visit to Kingsport on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Hernández, whose life story was the subject of Amazon Prime’s 2023 biopic “A Million Miles Away,” will deliver a keynote address at 6 p.m. at the Toy F. Reid Employee Center, 400 S. Wilcox Drive, Kingsport, as part of Eastman’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15). Admission is free and open to the public, but registration is requested.

“Reaching For Your Own Stars: A Recipe To Success” is being presented by Mosaic, Eastman’s resource group for Hispanic and Latino team members and their allies, with promotional support from the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce and the Young Professionals groups of Kingsport, Bristol, Johnson City and Greene County.

 “José Hernández’s story of perseverance, resilience and dreaming big aligns perfectly with Eastman’s values and our innovation-driven growth strategy,” said Willie McLain, Eastman’s chief financial officer and Mosaic’s executive sponsor. “His journey from the fields to the stars is a powerful reminder that with determination and hard work, we can achieve extraordinary things. We are honored to host him and look forward to the inspiration and insights he will share with our community.”

About José Hernández:

Born in California to a family of Mexican migrant farmworkers, Hernández began working alongside his parents in the fields at a young age but was determined to pursue his education, in spite of having to constantly change schools and not learning to speak English until he was 12.

Aided by the tremendous work ethic he built in the sweltering California fields, Hernández excelled in college. His graduate work in electrical engineering helped Hernández land a job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he co-developed an x-ray laser and the world’s first full-field digital mammography system for early breast cancer detection.

But Hernández had grown up gazing in wonder at the stars and dreamed of becoming an astronaut since watching Eugene Cernan walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Despite seemingly insurmountable odds – including being rejected by NASA 11 times – Hernández was finally selected as a member of NASA’s 19th class of astronauts in 2004. In 2009, he served as a flight engineer on the STS-128 mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, where he contributed to various critical tasks, including the operation of the robotic arm. While in orbit, Hernández became the first person to use the Spanish language in space while tweeting.

In addition to his spaceflight achievements, Hernández has made significant contributions in other fields. He is founder of the aerospace consulting firm Tierra Luna Engineering, LLC, and owner of a 20-acre vineyard that bottles wine under the Tierra Luna Cellar label. He is also an author, motivational speaker, and staunch supporter of STEM education.