Nice group photo. Standing center looks to be Jessica Cox, the world’s first licensed armless pilot, black-belt in American Taekwondo, surfer, scuba diver and motivational speaker.
A friend attended the Conference and acknowledged the enthusiasm and opportunity for networking for those in attendance. But she added there was also a notable absence of agencies from years prior, which their previously scheduled booths now stood oddly silent from being hastily vacated.
She noticed one of them was the National Geo-spatial Intelligence Agency booth, part of the Department of Defense. Due to the current administration’s effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion in government - and obviously private business, they have barred all agencies and military branches from participating in events that promote diversity of any kind - and it was in cold evidence at the conference. Every other federal agency or military branch’s booth was also empty, and even previously scheduled sessions with speakers from the military or federal agencies were cancelled.
Despite possibly losing out on some good info from our military and select agencies about aviation opportunities, it seems the women were able to overcome that sad reflection of hate and bias by the current administration and still have a very successful and productive week of aviation information, joy and excitement, witnessed by my friend.
I just wanted to add this to show the extra resolve and determination needed even more so now for these wonderful young ladies to find an opportunity in the multi-layered world of aviation.