Leonard Nimoy was more than a colleague—he was a friend, an ally, and my political soulmate. Leonard played a half-human, half-Vulcan officer—a being caught between two worlds. Yet in his own life, he was perhaps the most profoundly human person I have ever known. When Star Trek became an animated series, the studio hired only a few of us to reprise our roles, excluding Nichelle Nichols and myself. Leonard looked at that decision and simply said, "No."
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@georgetakei #AltText #Alt4You Me (George Takei) dressed in a white turtleneck sweater, making the Vulcan Salute (the "Live Long and Prosper" hand sign, like some may call it). On my neck, a chain with a silver pendent in the shape of an hand doing the aforementioned salute.
He told them, "This show is about diversity and working together in concert. The two people who most represent that diversity are Nichelle Nichols and George Takei, and if they can't be a part of this, then I'm not interested either." He was willing to walk away from a job—a rare act of principle in this industry—because he understood that Star Trek's promise of infinite diversity in infinite combinations was not just a slogan, but a responsibility.
That was Leonard. He didn't just speak about inclusion; he lived it. He came to my stage plays, waited backstage to offer his thoughtful critiques, and stood with me on countless issues of justice and equality. We shared decades of friendship, activism, and conversations that stretched long after the cameras stopped rolling. Through his portrayal of Spock, he taught generations to embrace logic, science, and compassion—all while reminding us that strength comes in many forms.