Meet Taylor Richardson of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Richardson.

Hi Taylor, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story began with a childhood dream that many people considered impossible: I wanted to become both a physician and an astronaut. Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyscalculia at an early age. Learning differently came with challenges, but it also taught me persistence, creativity, and how to advocate for myself. Today, I describe ADHD as being “Abundantly Different, Happily Divine” because I want other young people to understand that their differences do not disqualify them from dreaming boldly.

Service has always been central to my journey. In 2016, I started Take Flight with a Book to help children build home libraries and see reading as a pathway to possibility. Since then, the initiative has distributed more than 50,000 books. I have also helped organize back-to-school events, senior Thanksgiving luncheons, health initiatives, and community programs that meet people where they are. Those experiences showed me that improving health begins long before someone enters a hospital. Education, access, trust, representation, and community support all matter.

I attended Spelman College as a Morgan Stanley Scholar and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Biology Honors Distinction. While at Spelman, I remained active in service and leadership, including health and wellness programming, women’s health initiatives, and community service. I also gained more than 500 hours of clinical exposure through hospital volunteering, patient-care experiences, and physician observerships in specialties including breast oncology, gastrointestinal oncology, genitourinary oncology, gynecologic oncology, and labor and delivery.

My interest in medicine grew even stronger through research. As an Emory INSPIRE/SURE researcher, I studied HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C risk among deceased organ donors. I later continued developing my laboratory and research skills at Morehouse School of Medicine. These experiences helped me see how research, prevention, clinical care, and health equity can work together to improve outcomes, especially in communities that have historically been overlooked.

My path has not been without setbacks. I have navigated academic challenges, health issues, financial barriers, and moments when I had to prove that I belonged in spaces where people like me are still underrepresented. Each challenge strengthened my determination rather than diminishing it.

Along the way, I also created Dream. Learn. Launch., a purpose-driven apparel and empowerment brand that encourages young people, especially those who learn differently, to embrace who they are and pursue bold dreams. The brand has also helped support my educational journey while allowing me to turn my personal message into something others can wear and carry with them.

Today, I am pursuing a Master of Science in Medical Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine as I prepare for medical school. Receiving my white coat was a powerful reminder of how far I have come and how much work remains ahead. My long-term goal is to become a physician, with interests in infectious disease, oncology, and women’s health, while serving underserved communities and contributing to preventive health research. I still carry my dream of going to space, with the hope of becoming the first Black neurodivergent woman from an HBCU to do so.

Ultimately, my journey is about more than earning degrees or breaking barriers for myself. It is about using every opportunity I receive to open doors, expand representation, and help the next young person believe that their biggest dream is possible.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth or linear road. I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyscalculia in the second grade, so I learned early that I would sometimes need to work differently and advocate for the support I needed. There were moments when people underestimated my abilities or focused more on how I learned than on what I was capable of achieving. Over time, I learned to view my neurodivergence not as a limitation, but as a source of creativity, determination, and empathy. That is why I describe ADHD as being “Abundantly Different, Happily Divine.”

Academically, pursuing medicine has required persistence. Standardized testing has been one of my greatest challenges, and my journey with the MCAT has tested both my confidence and resilience. I have had to remind myself that one examination cannot fully measure my commitment to medicine, my ability to serve others, or the physician I am capable of becoming. Instead of allowing setbacks to define me, I have continued strengthening my foundation through research, clinical exposure, service, and my current graduate studies at Morehouse School of Medicine.

I have also helped my mom navigated significant health challenges, including endometriosis and adenomyosis, while completing my education and remaining active in my community. Helping her manage her pain, appointments, my coursework, and responsibilities has not always been easy. Those experiences have given me an even deeper understanding of why patients deserve to be heard, believed, and treated with compassion. They have also strengthened my interest in women’s health and addressing disparities that disproportionately affect Black women.

Finances have been another major obstacle. Even with scholarships and financial aid, graduate education is expensive. I have continued applying for scholarships, fundraising, and using proceeds from my Dream. Learn. Launch. apparel to help cover my educational expenses. Being transparent about that part of my journey has been uncomfortable at times, but it has also reminded me that asking for support is not a sign of weakness. It takes a community to help a dream grow.

There have been disappointments, health setbacks, financial pressures, and moments of self-doubt, but there has also been tremendous support, growth, and grace. Every challenge has taught me how to adapt, advocate, and keep moving forward. My road may not have been smooth, but it has given me the resilience and perspective I will carry into medicine, research, and every community I am called to serve.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Although I am still a student and not yet a physician, my work already lives at the intersection of science, health equity, education, service, entrepreneurship, and representation. I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Medical Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine as I prepare for medical school. My developing professional interests include infectious disease, oncology, women’s health, preventive medicine, and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

My research and clinical experiences have helped shape those interests. At Emory, I studied HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C risk among deceased organ donors through the INSPIRE/SURE program. I have also gained more than 500 hours of clinical exposure through hospital volunteering, patient-care experiences, and physician observerships in oncology, women’s health, and labor and delivery. More recently, I have continued building my research skills through laboratory work at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Outside of the classroom and laboratory, I am best known as “Astronaut StarBright,” a name that represents my lifelong goal of becoming both a physician and an astronaut. I use my platform to encourage young people to dream beyond what they can currently see, particularly Black girls, students from underserved communities, and neurodivergent students. I speak openly about living with ADHD and dyscalculia because I want students who learn differently to know that they still belong in science, medicine, and every space they aspire to enter.

I am also the founder of Take Flight with a Book, a literacy initiative I started in 2016. Since then, we have distributed more than 50,000 books to children and families. I later created Dream. Learn. Launch., a purpose-driven apparel and empowerment brand that encourages people to embrace their differences and pursue bold dreams. I am currently working on the Dream. Learn. Launch. website, which I hope will become a larger home for my apparel, resources, story, and mission.

Another project I am especially excited about is the possible development of a plushy named Future AstroDoc. The character would combine my dreams of medicine and space exploration while giving children, especially Black girls and children who learn differently, a tangible reminder that they can imagine themselves in both worlds. It is still in development, but my vision is for Future AstroDoc to become more than a plushy. I want it to be a source of representation, encouragement, and possibility.

What I am most proud of is not one title, award, or accomplishment. I am most proud that I have continued serving others while working toward my own goals. Whether I am distributing books, supporting a community health initiative, conducting research, creating something through Dream. Learn. Launch., or speaking to young people, I want my work to leave someone feeling seen, supported, and more confident about what is possible for their life.

What sets me apart is the way I connect my lived experiences with my purpose. I understand what it feels like to learn differently, face health and financial challenges, and enter spaces where people like me remain underrepresented. I bring that perspective into science, service, entrepreneurship, and storytelling. I am not waiting until I become a physician or astronaut to make an impact. I am using the journey itself to serve others, create representation, and open doors along the way.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My biggest advice is to approach mentorship and networking as relationship-building, not as collecting names, titles, or contacts. Some of my strongest mentoring relationships developed naturally because I consistently showed up, asked thoughtful questions, followed through, and stayed connected.

I do not always begin by asking someone, “Will you be my mentor?” Instead, I may ask for advice about a specific decision, request a brief conversation about their career, or follow up after hearing them speak. If the connection is genuine, the relationship often grows over time. I also try to be prepared. Before meeting someone, I learn about their work so that my questions are specific and respectful of their time.

Consistency has worked especially well for me. I send thank-you messages, share occasional updates, and let people know how I applied their advice. Mentors invest their time and wisdom, so it is meaningful for them to see that their guidance made a difference. I also make an effort to support their work, celebrate their accomplishments, and remain connected even when I am not asking for something.

I have met mentors through Spelman College, Morehouse School of Medicine, research programs, clinical experiences, community service, conferences, sorority connections, and even social media. One of the most important things I have learned is that networking can happen anywhere. Sometimes the most valuable connection begins through volunteering, introducing yourself after an event, or simply having the courage to send a sincere message.

I also believe in having a network of mentors rather than expecting one person to provide everything. I have mentors who guide me academically, professionally, personally, and spiritually. Some help me understand medicine and research, while others help me navigate leadership, service, entrepreneurship, and life. Peer mentors and people only a few steps ahead can also offer incredibly relevant guidance.

Finally, do not let fear of rejection keep you from reaching out. Not everyone will respond, and that is okay. Be genuine, be clear about why you are contacting them, and make it easy for them to answer. The goal is not to impress everyone in the room. It is to build authentic relationships with people whose values align with yours and to become the kind of person who also reaches back to mentor others.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Astronaut StarBright