Dear Member,

When I was tasked to write something about Black History Month, aviation, and NGPA, I struggled to find the words to convey my thoughts. Being Black in gay spaces, I have felt unseen. Being gay in Black spaces, I have felt unwanted. And, being Black and gay in aviation, “ain’t been no crystal stair.”  The intersectionality of these three worlds is often at odds with each other,  but all live within me.

The NGPA organization has continued to be inclusive alongside other organizations by partnering with the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Latino Pilots Association, and Professional Asian Pilots Association.  The recurring NGPA Diversity and Inclusion Summits have broken down barriers, stereotypes, and implicit biases within companies and flight departments.

There’s still work to be done specifically with African American participation and NGPA.  Too often, I hear from other African American Queer pilots that NGPA isn’t for them. My goal as a member of the Board of Directors is to change this perception and to ensure the new leadership is receptive to increasing African American participation in NGPA.