The City of Brussels is naming two new streets after women who changed history. In Neder-Over-Heembeek, an Ingrid Daubechies Street will be created. In Haren, a Bessie Coleman Street will follow. With this choice, the city places female pioneers firmly in the public space.
The Ingrid Daubechies Street is part of a new urban development in Neder-Over-Heembeek, near Vuurkruisenlaan and Oorlogskruisenlaan. Ingrid Daubechies is a Belgian mathematician of global standing and a key figure at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Her groundbreaking research on wavelets laid the foundations for modern image compression, including the JPEG format. Beyond her scientific impact, she has long been a committed advocate for greater gender equality in the exact sciences.
In Haren, Bessie Coleman will also be honoured with a street name. She was the first African American woman pilot in the United States. Denied access to flight schools in her own country because of racism, she travelled to France to train as a pilot. Coleman later became a stunt pilot and spoke out forcefully against discrimination in aviation.
According to Alderman for Urban Development Anaïs Maes (Vooruit.brussels), these street names highlight how women throughout history have had to overcome additional barriers to gain access to the same opportunities and rights as men.
With this decision, the City of Brussels aims not only to enrich the urban landscape, but also to make visible stories that have remained in the shadows for far too long.
Read the full article on BRUZZ: Zwarte pilote en moeder van de jpeg: Stad vernoemt nieuwe straten naar vrouwen | BRUZZ