Jane Goodall

“When I grow up, I want to study chimpanzees in the wild...just like Jane Goodall,” I wrote in zig-zagged sentences with misspelled words. My second-grade journal displayed my simple thoughts and aspirations: I wanted to be just like Jane Goodall.

I was first introduced to Jane Goodall from a picture book. It was a hardcover, and of course, had a chimpanzee on the front. I read this book over and over, relishing in the photographs, and eager to learn more. Very shortly after absorbing so much information and excitement, I had decided I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Jane Goodall.

Now, I unfortunately am not writing this from the forests of Gombe, studying the chimps like Jane. Well, I was never actually much of a science kid after middle school. But nonetheless, I have subconsciously followed her path and kept her motivation at the back of my mind since I first picked up that book in second grade.

When Goodall stepped into the world of the chimpanzees, there were few women who took on the role of a scientist. She never looked to be a “scientist” because it wasn’t a career that women had; in an article from Time published in 2018 she mentioned,

“When I was a little girl, I used to dream as a man, because I wanted to do things that women didn’t do back then such as traveling to Africa, living with wild animals and writing books.”

As a young girl, she took inspiration from the men in the field and focused on the animals and the work; the title of “scientist” (along with many others) slowly worked its way in, but not without controversy.

News articles focused on her gorgeous blonde hair or her legs, men discredited her work, and her womanhood was seen as a weakness. But not to Jane, or the women and girls around the world looking up to her. Over time, Jane Goodall became a symbol of strength and displayed the importance of perseverance in a male-dominated society.

Along with strength and perseverance, she taught me courage. To stand up for myself and not let a single person get in my way. That I am capable of achieving my goals, as long as the hard work is put in. That it won’t be easy. I learned that my compassion will take me far, and to embrace my feminine side. I don’t need to hide it to get ahead. She taught me the importance of observation and the need to understand the world around me. That we owe it to our planet and the other beings that live in it to protect them with respect and gratitude.

These are the things that I have carried with me. I turn to them when I need a boost of inspiration or self-assurance, and keep them in my mind with my happy memories.

I recently was going through a period of doubt and struggle, where I couldn’t figure out what to turn to next. I would sit staring at a screen, unmotivated to do my work, and unsure of how to re-spark my passions. This was when I returned to the work of Jane Goodall, trying to find the happiness in learning that I had in my childhood.

Once again, I dove headfirst into Jane Goodall’s books, documentaries, and interviews, learning in much more depth about her life...and about what I found the most intriguing, the chimpanzees. Easy enough, that was what I needed. I needed the reminder that the tiny victories serve a greater purpose, and to embrace the path that I was on; to find the joy in learning again.

There are many things I have learned and will continue to learn from having someone like Jane Goodall to look up to. She has made one very large chimp-sized footprint on my world, but more importantly on the planet, and on all the little girls and strong women with ambition.