With last year's successful Latinas in Aviation Global Festival serving as a positive memory, Fig Factor Media CEO Jacqueline Ruiz and College Park Aviation Museum continued the tradition of celebrating professional Latinas in aviation this year in a most memorable way.
COLLEGE PARK, Md., Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With last year's successful Latinas in Aviation Global Festival serving as a positive memory, Fig Factor Media CEO Jacqueline Ruiz and College Park Aviation Museum continued the tradition of celebrating professional Latinas in aviation this year in a most memorable way.
About 400 visitors witnessed Maryland Deputy Secretary of State Luis E. Borunda who gave honors to Latinas in Aviation with a citation on behalf of the State of Maryland and recognized the museum's dedication to sharing these Latina's stories as it unveiled the first-ever Latinas in Aviation Special Exhibit. The exhibit showcased donated memorabilia from the Vol. I authors and the Pilotina logo and its meaning describe the purpose, the energy, and the inspiration to make dreams come true.
"We are so excited and pleased to see how many people learned how Latinas are making their mark in the aviation industry and how we are encouraging younger Hispanic girls and women to aim high on their dreams as well," Ruiz said. "Words cannot express my deep gratitude for this festival and this special exhibit thanks to our wonderful partnership with the museum, There is no other exhibit like this in the world or the history of aviation."
The exhibit was one of many exciting moments during the festival. Audience members, which included FAA Deputy Bradley Mims, came to the M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation's College Park Aviation Museum and Airport to hear from pilots—several who were in attendance— who grace the pages of the first book called "Latinas in Aviation" and hear from new authors during the launch of "Latinas in Aviation, Vol. II, Maryland Edition". The new volume features 14 pilots, administrators, military personnel and aeronautical engineers from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC who discuss their struggles and triumphs in the aviation industry to pave the way for the next generation to take flight.
The 14 authors are the following:
- Eliana Rothwell
- Raquel Villagomez
- NormaBat-Sheva Orona-Samms
- Melissa Torres
- Louisa Ocasio
- Frances Melina Velazquez Mercado
- Lucia Mencia
- Karen Perez
- Leena Carvalho
- Keanne Vallejo-Huertas
- Eryka Cristina Xavier da Silva
- Elizabeth Garcia Corvington
- Brenda García
- Luz Beattie
This book and the event were a partnership of Fig Factor Media, the College Park Aviation Museum, the MNCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Field of Firsts Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that raises funds to support the museum and its exhibits and educational programming.
College Park Aviation Museum Director Kevin Cabrera noticed that neither rain nor the threat of volatile weather stopped people from coming to the festival.
"It is hard to express in words but to know that the museum took the initiative to do this Latinas in Aviation Global Festival is very meaningful because I understand what it feels not to be represented," he said. "I also want to share that this event was never meant to be a one-time occasion. I am about building community and know that this will be a feature program and the exhibit will highlight the Latinas and aviation for a long time."
Orona-Samms, a structural analyst for Boeing at its Design Center in Philadelphia, encouraged younger Latinas to be their own advocates.
"A lot of the time, you are the best person who knows exactly where you want to be," she said. "Despite sometimes having doubts and experiencing impostor syndrome, I would say to always make it known what you want to do and where you want to be. Be the biggest advocate for yourself and people will follow."
For more information about Latinas in Aviation, visit http://www.latinasinaviation.com/.
About Fig Factor Media:
Fig Factor Media Publishing is an international publishing company with a "beeping" heart. Fig Factor Media has helped many authors achieve and support their dream of impacting their communities in the United States, Mexico, and Europe. Fig Factor Media is the official publisher of Today's Inspired Latina. For information, visit http://www.figfactormedia.com.
About the College of Aviation Museum:
The College Park Aviation Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting aviation innovations at College Park Airport and in Prince George's County while fostering research, inventiveness, and lifelong curiosity about the history and science of flight. The College Park Aviation Museum opened in 1998 and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. For information, visit http://www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com. Contact College Park Aviation Museum Director Kevin Cabrera at [email protected] or College Park Aviation Museum Public Program Manager Jamie Jones at [email protected].
###
Media Contact
Marie Lazzara, JJR Marketing, 630-400-3361, [email protected]
SOURCE Fig Factor Media
Share this article