Okay, friends, as promised I shall share a story with you for #StarTrekDay about Avery Brooks.

The college my mother went to specifically started recruiting top Black students in the 60s. Due to this, the Black kids all mostly knew each other as they were in that same program.

Avery Brooks went to the same college and they were good friends. (She once told me he had a huge crush on her and I was like MOM. MOTHER. WHAT. HOW COULD YOU HE COULD HAVE BEEN MY DAD.)

Anyway, many of the students in this program remained friends long after college.

So over the years as Avery was getting TV gigs & such we would all watch cuz he was my mom's friend & I thought that was the coolest. There was one particularly fun night when my best friend's uncle, @FrankieFaison, guest starred on A Man Called Hawk. TWO people we know on TV!

When I was in middle school Avery was touring his production of "Paul Robeson" and it came through our town, so I got to see him perform in person (awesooooome) and meet him for the first time since I was a baby (which I did not remember, of course). https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/10/03/Avery-Brooks-is-brilliant-as-Paul-Robeson-on-Broadway/2856591854400/

Now, backing up a little bit:

I am a Trek fan because of my mom. She loved the original series and I remember being a wee Tempest in front of the TV watching The Wrath of Khan and us excitedly going to see ST IV together.

I watched TNG from the instant it appeared on TV cuz of her. I watched all of the animated series even though everyone looked "wrong". (Man... it took me 4 months to realize that dude in the red shirt was Scotty cuz I'd only ever seen movie Scotty.)

Then... they announced DS9

They announced that Avery Brooks would be the commander & there was MUCH rejoicing around our house.

DS9 turned out to be the best Trek ever and, of course, Avery was awesome.

This was around the time my mom dropped that "he had a crush on me but I wasn't interested" bombshell.

I'm still bitter.

I mean, I love my dad he's great. But SISKO COULD HAVE BEEN MY DAD.

*wistful look*

I lost my mom in 99. She was--and I'm not exaggerating--an extraordinary woman and beloved by many. I received so many beautiful messages of condolence from her friends all the way back to those college years, including Avery. So many people remembered her fondly. <3

I kept watching Star Trek and often talked to her as if she was there during episodes. She would have LOVED Discovery. Especially since she took me to RENT the year I started college. She would have smiled as big as I did upon finding out @albinokid & @wcruz73 were in the cast.

I'm sure she would have shared my opinion of Enterprise as well ;P But she loved her some Scott Bakula, so she would have watched, anyway.

As I mentioned earlier, I got the chance to interview Avery Brooks at DragonCon back in 2013 (it doesn't feel that long ago, jeez..).

Before that, I went up to him on the walk of fame and I said: Hi, I'm (name K stands for) Bradford, I don't know if you remember me...

And he looked up and said: Of course I remember you.

We talked for a bit and I asked if I could come back and interview him later and he said yes (he wasn't supposed to; his handler had A LOOK). I didn't want to hold up his line, so I said I'd see him later.

Before I could go, he reached out for my hand and squeezed it before saying: I loved your mama, you know.

And we just stayed like that for a few seconds, missing her together.

That DragonCon was the last time I saw Avery. Barring an extraordinary circumstance, that's probably the last time I'll see him in person. I'm glad we got to have that moment together. And we had a great conversation!

His contribution to Trek has meant so much to me. SISKO4EVA

And I'm glad that it's another tie between me, my mom, and Trek. I can't watch DS9 without hearing her voice giving color commentary. Even the episodes she didn't live to see.

I think Trek is part of what gave her hope for the future. She passed that on to me.