NGPA Family,
Spring is officially here! As for my family, we spend as much time as possible outdoors, taking in the sunshine & cool breezes. It’s one of my favorite seasons for so many reasons, but above all, what I enjoy most about spring is that it marks the beginning of comradery with friends and family for no particular occasion or implied pretense. This spring, we’re excited to reconnect during several upcoming events.
The Transgender & Non-binary Committee is hosting its annual social May 19-21 in Minneapolis. The NGPA Transgender Social is a yearly event for our Trans, Non-binary, and Gender-diverse members and their partners. This event is a space to share community with one another and features planned group activities and free time during the day and night to explore the host city and experience its queer scene.
Grab your sunglasses and SPF... Wings Over is headed to Fort Lauderdale June 16-18. An event celebrating our general aviation community and current and aspiring industry professionals, join us for a weekend filled with social events and local pride celebration festivities. In addition to the important visibility aspect of NGPA, this year, we are excited to partner with local south-Florida non-profit, TransSOCIAL, Inc., to not only provide financial support to those working against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation but also to learn how our two organizations can share resources in the fight against homophobia and transphobia.
In addition to nationally hosted events, there are countless other upcoming events put on by our local chapters this spring. If you haven’t yet been to a chapter event, I highly encourage you to take advantage of what local chapter directors have on the calendar in a city near you! Be sure to register with your local chapter on ngpa.org/chaptersignup to stay up-to-date on events in your area.
Also, this spring is NGPA’s Board of Directors Annual Meeting. At this meeting, the board and I will chart the strategic framework of what the next five years will look like for our organization. We’re excited to consider your feedback (yes, we do read the surveys!) and industry requests to ensure NGPA remains on course and true to its mission. Expect more to come as the plan is put into motion.
It would be remiss of me not to recognize our 200+ volunteers during April’s National Volunteer Month. From events to mentorship, development, advocacy, scholarship selection, marketing, aeromedical and more, NGPA committees are powered by volunteers. Our corps of volunteers are the enviable gold standard among our peers. I am incredibly thankful each day to stand beside you to deliver on behalf of the worldwide LGBTQ+ aviation community - Thank you.
To learn more about any of the events mentioned or what else we have on the horizon, be sure to bookmark ngpa.org/events —interested in capitalizing on April’s National Volunteer Month as your opportunity to get more involved? Email: [email protected].
On behalf of the Operations Team, we look forward to seeing many of you at an upcoming event soon.
With Pride,
Justin
