Have you ever been so close to your dreams you could taste it but there was just one thing holding you back? India Jackson of Decatur, Georgia knew that feeling. After being selected to intern for NASA at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Jackson's excitement was dwindled by the costs associated to take the internship.

Jackson's cousin wasn't going to let money stop her so she set up a GoFundMe to help her gather enough funds to get this hard-working single mother and PhD student to Houston and pay for her living expenses so that she can focus on her research for the 10 week internship.

Jackson needed $8,000 for the 10 weeks and in just one day she got it.

Read more of India Jackson's story below.

I am honored to tell everybody that my cousin, India Jackson, has been awarded an opportunity of a lifetime. She’s been selected to be a NASA Intern at the Johnson Space Center for 10 weeks in Houston, TX. She is set up to research solar energetic particles and how they affect the astronauts at the International Space Station and how they could possibly affect the astronauts going to Mars! This is a lifelong dream of hers and a long time coming and I am very proud of her. Unfortunately, she is unable to attend. India is a single mother and a struggling graduate student, so money is tight. NASA Interns must pay for their own travel and lodging while in the program. They will be offered a nice stipend but won’t receive that until they get there.

This is yet another example of how poverty-stricken students of color are left out, left behind, or miss out on life-changing opportunities. You must have money in order to get ahead in this country. She worked hard for this opportunity and I don’t want to see all of her lifelong work gone to waste due to financial hardship. I have decided to help her with this GoFundMe account. I am asking for $8000 for a 10-week out of state internship. This will cover:

1) 1 bedroom Airbnb near the Johnson Space Center (approx $4500 for 10-weeks)

2) Round trip tickets for her and her daughter (approx. $450)

3) A car rental from Turo (approx $1750 for 10-weeks)

4) Summer membership/activities at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston ($300)

5) Misc. such as food, gas, travel back and forth from the airport (approx $1000, $100/week)

Proof of enrollment:

https://www.phy-astr.gsu.edu/about/news/

https://indiajacksonhenry.weebly.com