FEBRUARY 15, 2021 - This Wednesday, February 17th, 2021, will see the launch of a new initiative highlighting the women of Star Trek and the artists who create pieces about them: Women Make Trek.

The new program highlights the inspiring women of the Star Trek franchise through artwork created and submitted by the fans who love them. In addition to celebrating original fan artwork, Women Make Trek is also raising funds to support breast cancer research. We had a chance to catch up via email with Women Make Trek cofounders Laz Marquez and Heather Rae, two fans whose passion for Star Trek and love of the fan community is at the heart of the Women Make Trek initiative.

It’s no secret that strong female characters have been visible since the earliest days of Star Trek. “We believe the women of Star Trek are the backbone of the franchise,” Marquez said, adding, “They have broken barriers in their respective decades and showcased such an immense amount of positivity and growth as time moves forward.” To honor these women and celebrate the artwork of the fan community, Marquez and Rae created Women Make Trek.

Contributing artists submit original pieces inspired by their favorite women of Star Trek, both in front of and behind the camera. Each piece is accompanied by a statement from the artist, describing their personal connection to the character and to the franchise. While the goal is to celebrate the women of Star Trek and individual artists, Rae and Marquez hope that their initiative will reach beyond that. Rae said, “My greatest hope is that our initiative inspires more like it [...] By amplifying individuals and their stories, we aim to show the world the breadth of beauty and talent within the Trek community and beyond, all inspired by the Star Trek women we love.” She added, “I believe artists will be moved to join us in our initiative to bring positivity to fandom by celebrating the women who make Star Trek, especially after they see the collection thus far and the impact it has already had on our fundraiser.”

There’s a personal story to the Women Make Trek project, too. Both Marquez and Rae were raised by single mothers, and found the women of Star Trek inspirational. In the memory of Marquez’s mother Maria, who was sadly lost to breast cancer, the initiative is asking fans to donate to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Women Make Trek officially launches on Wednesday, February 17th. To have a look at the artwork and artist stories already submitted, and for more information on how to become a contributing artist, visit womenmaketrek.com. And be sure to follow the hashtag #WomenMakeTrek on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest information and featured artists.

Our conversation with Women Make Trek’s founders, Laz Marquez and Heather Rae:

What is it about the women of Star Trek that inspires you? A certain character? A certain scene?

LAZ MARQUEZ (LM): In general, we believe the women of Star Trek are the backbone of the franchise. They have broken barriers in their respective decades and showcased such an immense amount of positivity and growth as time moves forward. Personally, the first character that I connected with was Tasha Yar. I was a young boy and saw a strong female character on screen that didn't let her past define her future as an accomplished Starfleet officer. I was raised by a single mother, so this was a trait and personally an aspect of myself that I continue to take value in.

HEATHER RAE (HR): I was also raised by a single mother in a family whose women were all caretakers of some kind. The roles of nurse, teacher, and mother are written in my DNA - it’s no wonder I was drawn to the empathic Counselor Troi and her compassionate Mother Lwaxana in TNG; intuitive Kes in VOY; and Edith Keeler - I aspire to be her (yes, even after only one episode!) Although I’m only recently exploring my identity as a non-binary woman and what that means for me, I continue to be shaped and inspired by both the women on screen and behind the scenes of the Star Trek franchise.

What is it that you feel others (contributing artists and “regular fans”) will relate to and want to take part?

LM: I believe that art is a way of expression. It's a way for people to pay tribute to those they respect, it's a way to release emotions, it's a way to live. Our artists are passionate about their craft and also connect with the women of Star Trek that inspired them in a variety of ways. We are so proud and lucky to have them and their stories. Star Trek gave a lot of fans something different (we can't always state what that might be) but we want to show a piece of that through what our artists have created.

HR: I’ve been blown away by the impressive talent of the Star Trek fan art community then and now, but over the past year I’ve found it essential to the general well-being of our fandom. I believe artists will be moved to join us in our initiative to bring positivity to fandom by celebrating the women who make Star Trek, especially after they see the collection thus far and the impact it has already had on our fundraiser.

What are the long-term goals of the Women Make Trek initiative?

LM: We plan to continue supporting artists and showcasing their abilities and stories as it pertains to Star Trek. We have high hopes that we can create a more positive environment for our social media community and combat a bit of the negative "fandom" that is increasingly present. We really want to show the hope, kindness and love we received when we first became fans of this wonderful franchise.

HR: My greatest hope is that our initiative inspires more like it, encouraging us to pursue our better selves in the year of Roddenberry’s centennial. By amplifying individuals and their stories, we aim to show the world the breadth of beauty and talent within the Trek community and beyond, all inspired by the Star Trek women we love.

Beyond the Women Make Trek website, are there plans to showcase the artwork/artists in the future in a different format? (e.g. virtual format, web event, live, etc.) Will they be featured on social media?

LM: While www.womenmaketrek.com is the primary place to see all of our artists as a collective, we do plan to feature them heavily on social media. Specifically Twitter. As we are a new initiative, we have larger plans that are in the works. Although we can't spill the beans on everything, we can say that we plan to have cast/crew interviews and podcast interviews with artists that will dive deeper into process and the love of Trek.

HR: We have exciting plans, indeed! The initiative launches on Wednesday, February 17th, which also happens to be Random Acts of Kindness Day. Both the website and episode one of my podcast Fanthropology’s interview with Laz and Mary Chieffo will be available. On social media, we’ll be using #WomenMakeTrek for all of our posts and encourage doing the same for related content.

Are there any specific characters you’re hoping to see? Any specific art media?

LM: We've been SO lucky to have a range of characters as well as artists. The styles and characters so far is blowing my mind at the moment. The mediums have ranged from fine art to digital across the board. Sometimes, it's a mixture. We have many more artists/characters in the near future, so I think it would be a spoiler to say who we'd hope for!

HR: I’m hopeful that I’ll be surprised by the characters I’m not used to seeing in collections like these. It’s important to me that we highlight women characters that may not be as known or popular. I can’t wait to see what our initiative inspires.

What does Star Trek mean to you?

LM: I can keep this one super simple. As a child, watching Star Trek for the first time, I was filled with hope and a sense that I could be a person who imbues understanding, positivity, exploration and empathy. Without truly valuing those qualities, I would be lost.

HR: My answer is complicated as my connection to Star Trek has moved beyond the show - the fan community has changed, shaped, and saved my life. It continues to do so every day, something I hope to be able to share via this initiative and my podcast.