Space is for everyone and this artist is here to prove it!

Movies can be instrumental in planting seeds that will eventually lead to purpose. This was the case for emerging artist and author Jesse Forte (Jforte), who became fascinated by Buzz Lightyear’s character from “Toy Story.” With a nudge from a fifth-grade teacher, Forte believed he could reach “Infinity and Beyond!”

Decades later, the multi-talented creative finally secured his big start in July 2021.

After applying to various analog astronaut missions around the world, Jforte became a part of the Lunares Research team in Poland in 2021. Now, Jforte is preparing for his second analog training and hopes to be amongst the stars within the next 18 to 20 months.

“Letting the young kids from around the world — especially little Black girls and boys that look like me — see that it’s possible for a brother with melanin dripping from his veins with dreads and gold chains to go to space. I want them to say ‘If he can do it, I can too,'” Jforte told AfroTech.

He continued: “One of our big mottos as a space ambassador is that everyone can go to space. Even if you don’t get to come with me on this trip, I want to represent you. I’ll be bringing a few special items from friends and communities with me to space when the time comes to represent others in my life.”

Jforte To Release Album Capturing Mission To Space

Jforte plans to become “the first emcee of NASA.” The creative will merge his mission to space with music through his next album, “Lunares | M4.”

The musical project is inspired by Jforte’s astronaut training, where he served as a Creative Research Officer for the Sensoria X Mission. The album will infuse an eclectic blend of Indie Rock, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Rap, and Jazz to tell the stories of music, love, life, and science with the help of fellow SpaceX/NASA team members.

“I was able to gain approval to pursue the 11-12 song album while also working within the means of the mission! I had full creative control over this process and it was a literal dream come true to pursue my creative endeavors while in the midst of training,” Forte said. “Our All-American Analog astronaut team was also very hands-on with the ‘Lunares M4′ album. Not only did the women of our team support the hook on a key song, but Paul Bakken and Tomko played key roles in the music video for the lunar habitat album!”

Jforte Believes Space Is For Everyone

Jforte hopes to expand the minds of listeners reminding them space should not be confined to those within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. He believes everyone should be welcomed to the galactic world.

 “There are so many architects, mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and other types of academia that are involved with NASA and becoming astronauts…. But there aren’t any creatives. I want to be the creative mind that challenges that and spreads the message that space is for everyone,” says Jforte, according to a press release.