I will never forget when my son Alexander told me he wants to be a pilot. My first reaction was "how does that work?", but before I could figure that out he said "mom I've never seen a black pilot", from that moment I started to research but could not find much info. There have been times that I ran through the airport to have my son interact with pilots of color so that he could see that it is possible for people that looked like him to be a pilot. I watched my son's confidence grow every time he met a black pilot and people of color in the aviation industry. I was also fortunate to find help from programs like OBAP and ACE Camp.
This journey with my son has been full of wonderful experiences, however I found it to be stressful at times trying to find scholarships or programs to help him become a pilot. I thought to myself how many parents are going through the same issue, and I wanted to help anyway that I can to open doors for black youth interested in aviation. I feel it is very important to get this information when you are young to help guide you to the right aviation path before you graduate high school.
My goal is to assist parents and their kids with questions and concerns they may have when they tell you they want to be a pilot or have a career in aviation. I want to hopefully be a resource with a personal touch. I may not have all the answers immediately, but I am willing to help find that key to open a door for each of you to assist you with your aviation goals.