Bear Ride, the sister of pioneering astronaut Sally Ride, speaks during “The Legacy of Sally Ride: The First American Woman in Space” event at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 15, 2023. Forty years ago, Ride made her trailblazing flight into space. A hero to millions, Ride was a steadfast advocate for inclusion in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) – especially for girls and young women – until her death in 2012 from pancreatic cancer.